


As Fate Would Have It

by heyyitslaurennn



Category: Actor RPF, American Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Angst, Celebrity Crush, Depression, Drug Use, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Sex, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, I'm Bad At Tagging, Minor Violence, Pining Sebastian Stan, Please Don't Hate Me, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2018-08-08 08:41:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 88,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7750867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyyitslaurennn/pseuds/heyyitslaurennn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laryn Ember Jones has finally escaped her life to start anew in New York City. Not usually one to run away from her problems, she soon finds solace--and love?--in the most unlikely of places. More tags will be added as I go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heeey everyone :D so this is my first fic in like.. half my life? Actually it's a slew of shameless daydreams I've had that I decided to add tons of detail to and string together into one story. PLEASE be gentle! I'm out of practice but I do hope y'all enjoy :) please feel free to ask any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them all in the next chapter's notes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The north wind was absolutely blistering that Saturday morning in New York City, and Laryn was not having it. Every now and then a snow flurry would completely bypass her black, thick-framed glasses and smack her right in the eye, followed shortly after by a stray wisp of her jet black hair. _Why the hell didn't I think to dress for this weather?_ she scolded herself for being so forgetful as she tucked the offending strand of hair back into her beanie. She knew that back home in Dallas it must have been a comfortable 50 degrees, which her current outfit of black skinny jeans, Pink Floyd tee and military jacket would have been much better suited for. She pulled her beanie more snugly over her wind-chapped ears and sighed, wondering if the damn moving crew would ever show up. "Where the hell are they?" she mumbled to no one in particular as she gazed aimlessly down the busy apartment-lined street the moving truck full of her belongings sat on.  It was now coming up on two hours since the crew should have arrived.  Finally accepting defeat, she lowered the truck lift, climbed up onto it and pulled the book she was reading for about the thousandth time out of her messenger bag. "Might as well kill some time while I wait, I guess..."  Within minutes, she drowned out the sound of footsteps and car horns and was lost in the world of Astrid Magnussen, the main character in one of her favorite books, White Oleander by Janet Fitch. Soon enough, she began mindlessly spinning the jewelled stud jutting out of the side of her top lip, a nervous habit she picked up as soon as her Monroe piercing healed. Her restless legs syndrome kicked in after a few more minutes, causing her to bring her knees to her chest and tap her toes nervously on the cold metal of the lift beneath her.

 

"Is that book any good?"

 

Laryn shrieked and damn near tossed her book into the air as she jumped out of her skin. She turned to face the offending source of the voice only to meet the deep ocean-blue gaze and lopsided grin of the one and only Sebastian Stan himself. Any dialogue Laryn might have had planned left her immediately as her brain went haywire. All she could muster at that moment was a rather embarrassing jawdrop and widening her green eyes to the size of saucers. _Is this really fucking happening?!_

 

She shook some sense into herself and managed a reply. "I--yeah, it's great. One of my favorites." He smiled at her reply--that smile that crinkled the corners of his beautiful eyes that made him look so damn adorable. "Uhh... Here," she dog-earred her page, closed the book and handed it to him summary-side up. Sebastian took it and examined it closely, appearing genuinely interested.

 

Laryn took this opportunity to speak up. "I... I'm sorry for screaming at you. I've always been super jumpy..." she looked down at her Converse-clad feet, which now dangled off the side of the truck lift. He simply smiled and handed her book back. 

 

"Well, in my defense, I had no intention of scaring away such a pretty girl." He grinned at the sudden appearance of intense blush across Laryn's frozen cheeks. She finally mustered up enough courage to meet his gaze, which she found to be so intense that she looked right back down to her feet and couldn't suppress the sudden giggle that passed her lips. "So," Sebastian continued, "I haven't seen you around here before. And judging by the moving truck, I'm assuming you're just moving in."

 

Laryn nodded. "Well, I'm _supposed_ to be moving in. The moving crew I hired decided to no show, so I've just kinda been sitting out here for the past couple hours trying to figure out what the hell I'm gonna do." 

 

Sebastian frowned at this information. "Well that won't do, will it?" He gazed down the road with a furrowed brow and chewed the inside of his cheek, clearly thinking, then pulled his phone out of his coat pocket. "Give me one second. Don't go anywhere." He took several steps down the sidewalk as he put the phone up to his ear while Laryn couldn't do anything to erase the shit-eating grin from her face. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod this is happening. Sebastian fucking Stan is talking to ME. She pulled her phone out and snapped a photo of his side profile while he wasn't looking and sent it to her two best friends, along with the caption "WHAT THE FUCK OMG". She put her phone back in her purse and looked over at Sebastian, who was still on the phone. He turned and caught her staring, smirked and winked. He fucking winked. Laryn's heart stopped and her stomach started doing cartwheels. She tried to calm herself as he walked back over. "So I've got some buddies in the area, and they're gonna head this way and we're gonna move your stuff for you. If that's cool with you. I couldn't possibly leave a damsel in distress." He finished his statement with another wink. _This man is trying to kill me!_

 

Laryn's grin widened so much her cheeks started to hurt. "No, that'd be great! As long as it doesn't interfere with your schedule... You must be busy--I mean obviously you're busy, but if it's a problem--I mean--" she was doing that babbling thing she did when she was nervous. He smiled and held up a hand. 

 

"No trouble at all, miss..." he trailed off, obviously waiting for her name. She blinked a few times until she finally understood.

 

"Oh--I'm Laryn. With a Y. My parents were weird hippies..." she extended her hand for him to shake, which he obliged.

 

"Sebastian," he replied.

 

"Oh trust me, I know who you are. If my freakout wasn't obvious enough. I... I've seen almost your entire filmography... Minus maybe a couple things." She looked to her feet again and blushed.

 

He raised an eyebrow and smirked-- _that fucking smirk._ "Oh?" He leaned against the back of the truck and crossed his arms as he examined her more closely now, from head to toe. 

 

Laryn nodded. "Yeah... Huge fan," she smiled. 

 

"So what's your favorite?" 

 

"That's not a very fair question, you were brilliant in everything." He blushed furiously and looked at the ground, which didn't go unnoticed by Laryn. _How is this man so beautiful? God, he's just so..._ "...so perfect." 

 

"What?" _Oh my GOD I said that out loud..._ She looked at him and his grin widened, the amusement evident in his sparkling eyes. 

 

"I... Um..." she stammered. Fuck, why wouldn't her brain cooperate?! Oh yeah, maybe the most beautiful man on the planet standing before her has something to do with it... "Is there a good coffee place nearby?" she changed the subject, hoping he wouldn't notice, but g _od dammit_ that sexy smirk gave away that he did notice. 

 

"Actually, there's a great place right around the corner. We've still got a good ten minutes before my buddies show up. Shall we?" He crooked his elbow towards her for her to take. She grinned stupidly (again), hopped down from the truck lift and looped her arm through his. He turned to her and placed his hand on her head, smirking. "You didn't look so short up there," he poked. 

 

Laryn turned an even brighter red and huffed. "Well gee, thanks. Yes, I'm short as hell." She tried to pull her beanie further down to cover her face, to no avail.

 

Sebastian laughed and snaked his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. "I'm just fucking with ya, I still think you're cute as hell." Laryn's crimson blush did not go unnoticed. They walked the two minutes to the previously mentioned coffee shop, where Laryn ordered her favorite drink, a peppermint mocha with three extra shots of espresso. She pulled out her wallet to pay, but her new celebrity friend stopped her. "Allow me," he quipped as he handed the cashier a credit card. She glanced up at him and smiled. What a perfect gentleman. Once they had their drinks, they walked the short distance back to her moving truck and she noticed two men standing idly next to it talking amongst themselves. Laryn immediately recognized them.

 

"No. Fucking. Way." Her jaw dropped for the second time that morning and Sebastian chuckled. 

 

"Hey Mack, hey Evans!" he called to the two men, who turned around and gave a similar greeting to their fellow movie star friend. "This is my new friend I told you about, Mack. Laryn, I'm sure you recognise these two asshats." 

 

That shit-eating grin was plastered across her face once again as she nodded, vocabulary temporarily lost to her as they greeted her.

 

"Man Seabass, you said she was cute but damn!" Anthony Mackie exclaimed as he took Laryn's hand and shook it generously. 

 

Laryn suddenly found her boldness and drawled, "Where I'm from, we hug." She then threw her arms around him as he chuckled. "I know who y'all are as well, huge Marvel fan here." She beamed up at Chris Evans as he accepted her embrace next.

 

"Hey, why didn't I get a hug?!" Sebastian whined behind her. She laughed as she turned around and held her arms open to him, which he accepted and playfully lifted her off the ground and spun in place. 

 

"Say, is that a southern drawl I'm picking up?" Chris asked as Laryn was placed back onto the sidewalk.

 

"You heard right, Cap," Laryn replied with a grin. "I just moved here from Dallas."

 

"Oh, the big D, huh? How do you like the Big Apple so far?"

 

"I haven't had much time to explore yet, this is literally my third day here."

 

"Well you now have a band of merry misfit tour guides at your service, should you need us," Seb stated. "Alright, what goes first up to what floor? Let's get this knocked out and maybe we'll have some time to chill later." 

 

Laryn smiled and nudged him lightly. "I'd like that."

 

**************************************

 

"God, _nobody_ is going to believe that the fucking Avengers are moving my furniture for me!" Laryn breathed as she helped Anthony and Chris pull her couch out of the truck and onto the sidewalk.

 

"We'll have to take a picture then, for evidence," Anthony said, throwing her a grin.

 

"Oh my God that'd be great!" You pulled your phone out and pondered on a pose everyone could strike.

 

"Why don't you lay on the couch while they hold it up," Seb suggested, "I'll think of something." He found an unsuspecting  jogger to stop and ask for a photo. As the jogger waited patiently, everyone got into position with Seb standing behind the couch draping his upper body over the back.

 

_flash, snap_

 

Laryn thanked the jogger, who went on his way, then proceeded to haul a couple boxes off the truck and headed for the front door.

 

"Wait a minute, you live here?!" Seb asked as he looked up at the apartment building in question, to which Laryn nodded. He grinned widely. "Well it looks like we're neighbors. I live here, too."

 

Laryn almost stopped breathing. _This just keeps getting better and better!_ "We'll have more opportunities to bug each other, then." They took a moment to gaze at each other. Seb bit his bottom lip (oh GOD, the lip bite!) and smiled, and Anthony and Chris shared a knowing look.

 

"Well, let's get started, shall we?" Chris asked as he picked up one end of the heavy couch and they all made their way into the building towards the stairs.

 

"I definitely owe y'all pizza and beer," Laryn huffed, almost colliding with the back of Chris.

 

"That's the best idea I've heard all day!" Anthony called back to you with a grin.

 

"Pay attention, Mack!" Chris said as Anthony almost walked backwards right into a wall. They made it into her new apartment, placed the items on the hardwood floor in the living room and headed back downstairs to fetch another load. They repeated this for about an hour until the truck was empty.

 

"Wow, that was relatively quick. I really appreciate the help, guys. Honestly, I'd probably be trying to drag my couch upstairs by myself if Seb hadn't come along and scared the shit out of me," Laryn chimed as she peeled off her jacket and beanie and collapsed into her platform rocker. The boys all voiced their "no problems" (and a light snicker from Seb) from the couch. "So, who's hungry?" She smiled at their uniformed replies of excitement for food and pulled out her phone to find the closest pizza place.

 

Not half an hour later, Laryn and her new group of celebrity friends were polishing off two loaded pizzas and working through a case of beer over light conversation. "I find it pretty depressing that y'all don't have Whataburger OR Taco Cabana up here," Laryn drawled over her third beer. Chris and Sebastian eyed her quizzically while Anthony shared her sentiments, being from the south himself. 

 

"I can't say I've heard of Taco Cabana, but I feel ya on the Whataburger," he quipped.  "These yankees don't know what good food is, do they?" Laryn shook her head and giggled when the two clueless men shot Anthony a glare.

 

"I guess I should introduce y'all to some real Texas cookin' one day," she said with a smile. "What kinda gal would I be if I didn't demonstrate some southern hospitality?"

 

"I like her," Anthony said to Chris and Seb, wagging his thumb in Laryn's direction. She grinned and lowered her head, trying to hide her blushed face. She looked up and across the spacious living room at the men who so graciously helped her when they didn't have to and saw them all smiling back at her, Seb's smile being a little bit bigger than the others, with a glint of something in his eyes that Laryn couldn't quite put her finger on, but it made her heart flutter nonetheless.

 

"Well, I'm supposed to be meeting someone in a little while, so I should probably get going," Chris groaned as he lifted himself off the couch.

 

"I do too, actually," Anthony added, standing up and stretching. 

 

"Let me walk y'all out," Laryn offered, walking after them toward the door. "Thank you guys again for helping me, really. I kinda get the idea that not a lot of folks around here would have been that generous."

 

"It's no trouble at all!" Chris replied, pulling her into a tight hug. Anthony followed suit with his own embrace. 

 

"Feel free to invite us over for some real food any time," Anthony quipped with a wink. "Just let Seabass know and we'll be here."

 

"Oh I will!" Laryn let them out, waved goodbye and closed the door, being left with the man out of her three new friends that made her the most nervous. Her head was swimming with scenarios in which she and Sebastian could be alone together, getting to know each other MUCH better than she ever imagined... Lips and hands everywhere... _Jesus Christ, get ahold of yourself._ She grounded herself and turned around to find Sebastian still sitting on the couch playing on his phone. "So..." she started as she slid her shoes off by the door. He looked up from his phone and smiled warmly at her. "I'm gonna go change into something more comfy. It's stifling in here. If you'll excuse me."

 

He cocked his head to the side, smile never fading. "It's your apartment, sweetheart. You don't need my permission."

 

Laryn turned beet red at his endearing pet name. "I--yeah, okay. I'll be back." She padded off into her bedroom and began digging through her suitcase. She pulled out a blue pair of yoga pants and a black Star Wars tank top that would expose some of her tattoos and hummed in approval. Remembering how form-fitting these articles of clothing are once she changed into them, she bit her lip and blushed as she silently hoped Seb would notice. She had always been rather well-endowed, so to speak. She fixed her hair into a messy bun and yanked her tank top down a little further to accentuate her ample cleavage. Satisfied with her appearance, she made her way back out into the living room. Seb looked up from his place on the couch and gaped, raking his cobalt eyes slowly over her body. She noticed this and made a point to walk past him to her rocker so he could catch a glimpse of her rather sizeable ass. To her delight, she found him staring as she turned to sit. "Like what you see, sugar?" she managed to choke out as her full pouty lips curled up into a big grin. God, it's amazing how those eyes can turn any woman into a puddle of goo. Seb just looked dazed as he cleared his throat and shifted in his spot on the couch. Laryn squealed inwardly as this was the exact response she desired. 

 

Sebastian finally brought himself out of his daze to speak. "I like your ink," he mumbled sheepishly. She smiled in response, shoving her glasses further up her nose as she suddenly found the hem of her tank top incredibly interesting. "So, what brings you to New York?" he asked, deliberately avoiding her last question.

 

"I got a big promotion at work. So, just work," she answered as she shifted uncomfortably in her cushy rocker. "Well, mostly work..." she trailed off, piquing Seb's interest even more. Laryn looked up and saw him raise an eyebrow and she decided to crack. "I'm kinda... Running away, I guess? I was waiting for an opportunity for a fresh start, and my work just happened to hand me a promotion right when I needed it most."

 

Seb frowned. "Wait, you ran away? I thought you looked pretty young, but..."

 

Laryn laughed. "I don't know how old you thought I was, but I'm about to turn 30." She could see the relief wash over his features. 

 

"Who are you running from?"

 

"Who said it's a who?"

 

Seb shrugged. "Just a hunch."

 

Laryn sighed. "I'm gonna need something stronger than beer... Is it too early for vodka?" she stood up and walked into the kitchen in search of her box of liquor. Seb chuckled and shook his head. She unpacked two small glasses, rinsed them out and shoved them under the ice maker in the freezer door, delighted to find that it was turned on. She poured a small amount of the fruity elixir she'd dug out of her liquor box into each glass and walked back into the front room, handing a glass to Seb. She sat down at the other end of the couch this time, faced Sebastian, crossed her legs and heaved a long sigh. "About a year ago I came home from a business trip early to surprise my husband." Seb sipped his drink and listened. "I thiught he would still be at work, but his car was in the driveway. I walked into the house and noticed a trail of clothes that led right to our bedroom." She glanced up at Seb and noticed his smile had turned upside down. She nodded, as if affirming an unspoken suspicion. "I found him in our bed with one of his exes... It was my birthday."

 

Seb nearly dropped his glass. "What a piece of shit," he spat as he looked to his lap and shook his head in extreme disapproval. "I'm so sorry that happened to you, Laryn."

 

Laryn shrugged in response and downed the rest of her vodka in one swig. "Well, the good news is he is now my ex-husband. And I'm half a country away from him," she added with a grin. She looked to her right and gazed out the window for a minute and laughed. "It's fumny... We were supposed to go to Comic Con last year... To meet you, actually." Seb's eyebrows raised. "But when I told him to get the fuck out, he took off with all the tickets. I don't even know if he used them."

 

Seb leaned toward her, only several inches away, and smirked. "Well, isn't this the best kind of payback?"

 

Laryn grinned stupidly and nodded. She was beginning to feel warm and tingly from the alcohol she had consumed in the last couple hours and noticed it was starting to get dark outside. "Well, I should probably get some shopping done... I gotta have food in here to live. There's no way I'm living on pizza and getting fat again."

 

Seb nodded and stood to leave. "Well, as you know, I live here too. Just down the hall in 24. You're welcome any time," he said. With a smile, he added, "Let me know if you would like any help unpacking and I'll be right over."

 

Laryn smiled and opened the door to let him out. He turned to leave when she placed a hand on his bicep, turning him to face her as she embraced him. "Thank you, Seb. You've made this move so much easier for me." 

 

He kissed her hair (much to her surprise and glee) and nodded, pulling away slightly to look at her. "My pleasure, doll." His eyes twinkled as he smiled and walked backwards down the hall, still looking at her. "Remember, any time." Laryn nodded and entered her apartment. She closed the door and leaned against it, sliding down to the floor as if she was melting. "No one is gonna believe me..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy y'all! Thanks for being patient with me, I'll try to keep updates to once a week but I do have school coming up soon and I work fulltime so I can be a littlebon the busier side. So I thought a nice touch would be to include a "jogging playlist" for Laryn which would include songs from my own music library. Or maybe it's a dumb idea? I'll let y'all be the judge. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laryn decided to be an early riser the next morning and attempt to map out a jogging route. She threw on her usual jogging attire plus a jacket, considering the climate change between her new and old homes, dug up her ipod touch and earbuds, put on her workout playlist, and went on her way.

 

The sidewalks were surprisingly crowded for it being just past 7am on a Sunday, she noticed. _New York really does never sleep._

Jogging music

Trivium - Down From the Sky

AFI - Beautiful Thieves

Martin Garrix - The Only Way is Up

Pink Floyd - Young Lust

Deadmau5 - Suckfest9001

M.I.A. - Matangi

Maxnormal.TV - Laf Nag

Lady Gaga - Venus

 

The Offspring - A Million Miles Away

 

She ran for another half hour and turned back toward her apartment when she began to get winded. She took a mental note of the antique shop and deli she passed around the corner from home so she could check them out later and sprinted up the stairs to her door, passing Sebastian's on her way and wondering if he was up. Once she got inside, she took a quick shower and decided on some eggs and bacon for breakfast before tackling the dreaded unpacking process. She opened the fridge nd pulled out the eggs and bacon she was eternally glad she purchased last night when she realized she forgot coffee when shopping. _Fuck me..._ She stomped into the living room to pull her running shoes and jacket back on and swung the front door open. "Can't go a single d--"

 

_"Whoa!"_

 

_"SHIT!"_

 

She suddenly found herself colliding face first with the broad chest of Sebastian and scrambling away before losing herself in his _intoxicating_ scent. He grinned down at her, finding her sheepishness utterly adorable.

 

"Good morning!" he beamed, pointing to the cup carrier in his right hand containing two cups of what could only be coffee.

 

Laryn blinked dumbly as she let him in. "You read my mind, I was literally just about to go get coffee."

 

He shrugged as he handed her a steaming cup. "Reading womens' minds comes with being this devilishly handsome."

 

"Ooh, feeling full of ourselves today, are we?" she asked, sticking her tongue out when he winked. As she took a sip of her coffee, she realized that it was her usual that she had only ordered in front of him the one time yesterday. She looked over at Seb incredulously. "You remembered my drink!"

 

He rubbed the back of is neck and looked away. "I uhh... Have a good memory..." 

 

Laryn smiled, walked across the room to where he was standing and planted a kiss on his cheek, dangerously close to his lips. "Remind me later that I owe you... For everything." She then made her way back to the kitchen with a blushing Sebastian in tow, finally able to make breakfast. "How do you like your eggs?" she called over her shoulder. "I managed to get some of my dishes unpacked, and I'm about to die of starvation. Plus, I'm sure you'll want to eat something as well, if you're gonna be helping me unpack all day."

 

Seb sat down at her small kitchen table and cocked an eyebrow when she turned around to await his answer. "Over easy. And how do you know that's why I'm here?" 

 

"Well," she flitted around the kitchen gathering utensils and skillets, one-handedly cracking eggs into the greased pan with ease and lining another pan with bacon, "you offered to help me last night." The sound and aroma of sizzling eggs and bacon began to waft through the spacious kitchen. "That, and you're here early. With my favorite coffee, might I add? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're a bit smitten."

 

Seb chewed on his bottom lip as he mulled over his reply, releasing his lip with a wet _pop_. "Just making sure my new friend gets a proper welcome," he stated with that sexy smirk.

 

_I'll tell you how you should welcome me..._ She smiled as she made her way to the table with two plates of food. "Bon apetit," she drawled in an obnoxiously exaggerated southern accent that made Sebastian chuckle as she set a plate down in front of him.

 

"Holy shit, these might be better than my eggs!" he moaned through a mouthful of food. His compliment had Laryn positively beaming.

 

"I take serious pride in my breakfast-making skills. All of my cooking, really... It's an art. One of my few talents," she stated matter-of-factly. 

 

"You'll have to demonstrate more of your talents for me then," Seb noted, resting his chin in his palm and finishing off his last strip of bacon. Laryn smiled warmly and nodded. 

 

"Well, would you like to get started?" she asked, noticing the time.

 

"Lead the way, milady," Seb replied as he stood up and estured to the living room. He followed her to the small cluster of boxes by the large window, most of which were labeled "wall stuff" or "random shit". "So eloquent," Seb chuckled.

 

"I was in a hurry," Laryn shrugged. "Okay, I wanted to tackle the rest of the kitchen, so if you wanna see what you can do in here that'd be awesome."

 

"Aye aye, cap'n," he mock-saluted and went to work opening the boxes as Laryn headed over to the shelf unit built into the dining room wall where her ihome sat. She decided her workout playlist would suffice and started it up, bobbing her head as the melodic sounds of Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly" floated through the apartment. "Great tune," Seb called as he unwrapped various framed photos and placed them up on the floor up against walls where he felt they would look the best once they were hung. He took the time to ogle at her high school glamour shots and smile at her baby photos.

 

"Yeah, my parents made damn sure I have excellent taste in music. I'll listen to pretty much anything but country."

 

"A Texas girl that doesn't like country? Weird. Do you have nails and a hammer?"

 

Laryn placed her crock pot that she pulled from a box down on the counter and shuffled over to her small toolbox she left out on the bar because she knew she would need it eventually, pulled out a rusty hammer and a handful of nails and walked them to the front room. She noticed her giant framed sketch of the illuminated doorway to Moria from the Lord of the Rings propped up against the wall. "I think I'd like this to hang over the fireplace, if it'll fit."

 

He glanced at the sketch and nearly broke his neck doing a double-take, his jaw dropping damn near to the floor. "That's _amazing_ ," he breathed as he walked over to get a closer look. 

 

Laryn's cheeks turned pink as she admired her own work. "Thanks. It's not my best work... But it's some of my earliest. I was... 14?"

 

Seb gazed down at her, drinking in her modesty and how beautiful she was when she blushed. "I'd like to see more sometime."

 

She nodded and handed him the tools he had previously asked for before returning to the kitchen. After hanging her photos, he moved on to the last box, which held odds and ends meant for tables and shelves, and a smaller unmarked box. He took the small box out and opened it, pulling out the item inside. He inspected it curiously and noticed it was a compressed pole. He extended it and realized it was a stripper pole. Face beet red, he strolled into the kitchen carrying the pole. "So I don't think you ever told me what you do for a living," he mumbled as he stifled the world's biggest grin.

 

Laryn turned to face him and her eyes widened immediately. Oh bloody hell. "Oh my G-- _NO_! I am NOT a stripper, Sebastian." She groaned and covered her face in a feeble attempt to conceal her embarrassment. "I use that for exercise. Believe it or not, it's a great workout." Sebastian said nothing as he grinned wickedly and went back to unpacking, though it took a great deal more effort to keep his mind out of the gutter. They spent the majority of the morning emptying boxes and filling walls and cupboards before she asked him to set up her work station in the extra room she had decided would be her office. It was almost noon when Laryn decided they had reached an ideal stopping point. "We actually got a lot done!" she sighed as she collapsed into her rocker. She glanced to her left into the dining area where Sebastian was examining her collection of Funko Pop figurines. "You like?" 

 

He shot a smile over his shoulder and nodded. "You seem to have the Avengers covered, and then some." At the center of her collection stood the Winter Soldier. _Well, I know who her favorite is,_ he mused.

 

She suddenly appeared next to him, admiring her own collection. "I did mention that I'm a huge Marvel fan, right? I even have a tattoo to prove it."

 

His eyebrows raised at this remark as he gave her a once-over with his eyes, searching for it as if to catch her in a tease. "I don't see it."

 

She chuckled. "Yeah, well," she leaned toward him just enough for her bare arm to brush against his, "I'd have to take my pants off for that." She decided to give him a taste of his own medicine and finish her statement off with a wink and walk way into the living room. 

 

_Oh my God..._ He couldn't believe what he just witnessed. He brought his bottom lip between his teeth with his tongue and watched her hips sway as she went to test the tv. _Did she really just..._

 

The sound of Netflix starting up interrupted his train of thought, followed by Laryn's exclamation of "Yes!" She spun around and bounced on her toes in excitement, throwing Seb what he took to be a mischievous look. "Looks like I'm still hooked up to my ex's account. Free Netflix!" She threw her arms up and spun in circles, immediately losing her balance and slamming her shin into the corner of the coffee table and crumbling onto the couch while shrieking in pain, pulling a chuckle from Seb.

 

He wanted to stay, but unfortunately he had errands to run. "So hey, I've gotta jet, but... Are you busy tomorrow?"

 

Laryn turned from the tv to answer while she nursed her swollen shin. "I have to go pick up my animals from the kennel at some point, but other than that I'm free." Seb grinned and opened his mouth to reply, but she beat him to the punch. "Actually, why don't you come by for dinner? You like Italian?"

 

He was momentarily speechless, so he simply smiled and nodded. "Great! You're in for a treat, my dear." She threw the remote a little too excitedly at the couch and walked toward him, stopping directly in front of him. "Italian just happens to be my favorite. I'll save my downhome southern cuisine for Mackie."

 

"Sounds perfect, doll." He smiled down at her now pink cheeks, a product of yet another one of his pet names. 

 

"So, seven okay?" she asked, gathering her wits after inhaling his... Cologne? Deodorant? Whatever it was, it had her positively _quivering_ with desire.

 

"Seven is good for me. Should I bring anything?"

 

"Wine would be nice, if you feel so inclined," she drawled and batted her long eyelashes.

 

He smirked. "You got it, sweetheart. I'll see you then." And with that, he left her to her own thoughts, which may or may not have been rather R-rated. She moved back to the couch and sank into it in a daze, trying not to squeal with utter excitement. Then, wondering whether or not he would be considering this dinner of theirs a date, she began to panic as she had no idea what to wear.

 

Meanwhile, outside her front door, Sebastian dragged his feet as he made his way to his apartment in a haze. He had girlfriends in the past, yes, but this girl... She had a strange effect on him that made him crave more of her. He began to imagine what her skin would feel like against his, how soft she would be laying in his arms, how she would glow with no clothes on--

 

He shook these thoughts away and sighed deeply as he unlocked his door and made his way inside. _You don't know what you do to me..._

 

**************************************

 

"What the _fuck_ am I gonna do?!" Laryn groaned over Facetime to her best friend, Lizzie, as she organized the items on the bookshelf next to her bedroom closet. "He's a movie star, Lizzie. I don't even know why he's spending all this time with me, let alone what the hell to wear  he comes to have dinner tomorrow!"

 

"I think you need to calm down, first of all," Lizzie droned through the phone. "He's human too, y'know."

 

Laryn rolled her eyes. "I know that..."

 

" _So_ ," Lizzie said, drawing the word out for emphasis, "don't panic and just... Be yourself. I mean, he obviously has a thing for you already."

 

Laryn shook her head, half in dismissal, as she began yanking clothes out of bags and hanging them in her huge walk-in closet, setting aside various outfits she deemed somewhat worthy of wearing for a first date with the most attractive man on the damn planet. "I think I may need to go shopping..." she sighed as she gave up on her boring wardrobe. "Any suggestions, fashionista?"

 

"Something sort of revealing but not _too_ showy. You want to leave something to his imagination. Something more classy than cute."

 

"Well, thank God for this gigantic promotion bonus that work sent me just for moving way the hell up here."

 

"There you go! I've gotta go get ready for a date myself, but send pictures of whatever you get!"

 

They said their goodbyes and hung up as Laryn collapsed onto her bed, causing a few items to bounce off onto the floor. Her mind began that annoying "snowballing" thing that meant she needed to calm the hell down before she had a panic attack. She needed a precise plan of action, but she also wanted to make absolute sure that she stuck with it and didn't pussy out. The last thing she needed was her past coming back to haunt her when she had even the slightest chance at real happiness. She launched herself off the bed and began frantically digging through her belongings to locate any items she could incorporate into her date and made a mental note of things to purchase tomorrow morning while she was out. She headed out to the living area to put some finishing touches on the main and dining rooms, took a long relaxing shower, and dove face first into bed, not fully able to shut her brain off thanks to the man of her dreams living right down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW so I did NOT intend to take this long to update! Basically my phone is a piece of shit and erased my new chapter not once but TWICE as soon as I finished writing and rewriting it. -.- from now on I'll be writing in my email and saving draft after each damn paragraph. BUT, I digress...
> 
> So here we are, at DATE NIGHT :D enjoy!

 

 

_*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP—*_  
  
Laryn shrieked and tumbled over the side of the bed, smashing her head on the bedside table on her way down and nearly knocking the screaming alarm clock off in the process. Groaning and rubbing the forming bump on the side of her head, she hauled her freezing and barely clothed form off the floor and into her closet, pulling on a skin-tight pair of black jeans and an oversized sweater. Still without coffee, she padded into the kitchen to start a kettle of tea, not wanting to be a zombie while she ran her errands. The first thing on her agenda for the day was shopping; she needed something to knock Sebastian off his feet. As the kettle announced its completion with an annoying whistle, she filled up her thermos and headed out for the day.  
  
Strolling down the street and around the corner at a fast pace, she spotted a dress shop that appeared to have the classy type of clothing she was looking for. As soon as she walked in, she spotted the perfect dress: a deep blue number, not too short, with long sleeves. She took it off the rack and headed for the dressing room. As she got undressed and pulled it over her head, she marveled at how form-fitting and sexy it was, falling off her shoulders and only exposing a small amount of cleavage, a feat for her considering her ample chest, and the hem stopping just a few inches above the knee. Feeling satisfied with her choice, she got re-dressed and grabbed a pair of icicle earrings by the register, paid for her items, and left for the subway.  
  
 **************************************  
  
Sebastian was irritatingly restless. He got very little sleep the night before, and he couldn’t seem to hold still that day. First, he laid in bed tossing and turning, then moved to the couch and fidgeted there, then paced back and forth in the kitchen trying to decide on something to eat, then eventually making his way back to the couch. Frustrated to no end, he yanked his phone from his pocket and started typing.  
  
 _S: It’s only been two days and she’s driving me crazy!_  
  
He chose Anthony from his contact list, hit send and dropped his phone on his chest. Not even two minutes later, it signaled a text message with a buzz.  
  
 _A: Aww man and I liked her too. So is she the creepy stalker type or what?_  
  
It took every ounce of self-control for Seb not to follow through with the impending faceplam. He loved his friend dearly, but he could be a little clueless sometimes.  
  
 _S: Not that kind of crazy… we’re having dinner tonight.  
  
A: Then what’s the problem? Get with her!  
  
S: It’s more than that man… you busy Friday night?  
  
A: Nope. Food or booze?  
  
S: Booze. Be here at eight._  
  
He sent the last text and set his phone down with a smirk on his face. He had a plan that might just reel her in completely, unbeknownst to him that he had already done so without even trying.  
  
**************************************  
  
“Oh my God, _slow down!_ ” Laryn almost screamed as her huge dog dragged her down the street toward their apartment, trying her hardest not to drop the pet carrier containing her restless cat. She was amazed that she was able to run her errands and still be home by 4 o’clock. As her dog dragged her up the stairs to her apartment, she went through all of her tasks still to be done before Seb arrived for dinner. She fumbled with her keys before finally getting inside and getting her furry companions settled into their new home, then rushed to the kitchen. She flitted around the room boiling water, chopping vegetables, measuring various liquids and spices into the crock pot, and getting her main dish and dessert started all just before seven o’clock. She looked at the time and realized she still had time to take a shower and blowdry her mess of hair. She looked up at the giant clock in her bedroom and panicked when it read fifteen til seven. She nearly tripped over herself running to the closet where the dress was hanging, yanked it on and threw on some makeup to make her green eyes brighter.  
  
There was a knock at the door just as she spritzed some of her favorite perfume. She slipped into her black pumps and went to the door, grasping her barking dog’s collar. Upon opening the door, she was greeted by the reddest roses she’d ever seen and crystal blue eyes peering over them.  _“Oh my God,”_  she squeaked as she let Sebastian inside and took the roses from him, releasing the dog. “They’re beautiful,” she batted her long lashes at him and smiled as she admired his outfit, his tight black jeans fitting him just right.  
  
Seb stood in awe as his eyes raked over her from head to toe. “You look…” he stepped toward her, wide-eyed and drawing his bottom lip between his teeth as he grazed the shell of her ear with his lips and placed a hand on her neck,  _“mai frumos decât orice floare.”_  
  
Laryn became weak at the knees and nearly moaned as she suddenly found herself gripping his biceps to hold herself up.  _Good God, this man..._ Turning bright crimson, she released his arms and straightened herself out. It was then that the dog grew thoroughly tired of being ignored by this strange man and squeezed through his legs, nearly knocking him down.  
  
“And who is this?” he chuckled as he set the wine down and took a seat on the couch before the dog tackled him.  
  
“That’s Leeloo,” Laryn said. “And this,” she scooped up the cat from the rocker and held him out, “is... Bucky.” She looked at her feet in embarrassment, not noticing Seb’s look of amusement. “And before you judge me and think I’m a creeper, I do have valid reasons for naming him Bucky. First, he’s all black, except…” She held up his front left leg for illustration of her first point, “for his left arm. Second, he has blue eyes. And third, he thinks he’s a skilled assassin… and he’s kinda grumpy.”  
  
Seb chuckled and took the cat in his arms. “Seems like an appropriate name to me.” He scratched behind the feline’s ear, earning a contented mrowww.  
  
“Well, if you’re ready to eat, it should be done cooking.” He nodded and plucked the wine bottle from the coffee table as he followed her to the dining room. She took two wine glasses from the cabinet and set them on the table, then proceeded into the kitchen to ladle soup into two bowls, which she then brought to the table. “I stole this recipe from the Olive Garden,” she stated cheekily as she sat down while Seb poured wine before digging in.  
  
They spent the next hour or so chatting and working their way through crab-stuffed mushrooms and giant stuffed shell pasta before deciding they were much too full to try her first attempt at tiramisu.  
  
“How are you not a five-star chef?” he asked, half-groaning from how much he ate.  
  
Laryn smiled and blushed yet again. “Well, I didn’t exactly get a lot of praise for my cooking before…” she trailed off, not wanting to discuss her ex-husband while on a date. That would be rude anyway. “Um… would you like to take this to the couch? These chairs aren’t too comfortable. Seb nodded and grabbed the wine along with his glass. She picked the cat up off the couch and set him in the rocker, where he nested for a minute before curling back up into a ball and purring. She turned on Netflix and put it on some cheesy romcom, mostly for background noise so the deafening silence didn’t get to her.  
  
He continued to ask her questions about her life in Texas, school, previous jobs, interests. “So be honest, your cooking seriously didn’t wow your family?”  
  
"Well, no, my family loved my cooking. My stuffed mushrooms were always a hit at Thanksgiving,” she drew a smirk from Seb as she listened intently, occasionally taking sips from his glass. “It was my hus—my _ex_ -husband.” She gazed down at her lap, all of the unpleasant memories suddenly flooding back. "He was an extremely picky eater and always found something to complain about, even when I made something exactly the way he liked it." She guzzled down the rest of her wine in one drink and blinked furiously to prevent her eyes from welling up, and Seb noticed this.  
  
"Hey, I have a favor to ask," he said, scooting closer to her. Her eyes darted back up. "I'm having a small get-together at my place on Friday, and I'd love for you to cook up some of your southern stuff. I'll buy everything you'll need, of course."  
  
Laryn immediately cheered up and nodded. "I'd love to," she grinned. "It's nice to have someone to cook for again that doesn't complain about everything."  
  
He smiled widely and threw is arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer. "No complaining, I promise. We're not ungrateful bastards. And if someone does, I'll throw them out."  
  
Laryn laughed and settled into his side, inhaling the scent of his cologne and suddenly becoming very droopy-eyed.  
  
Laryn was jolted awake by Leeloo plopping her fat head into her lap. When had she fallen asleep? The movie credits were rolling and she still had her head on Seb's chest, her arm draped across him and his arm curled around her side with his fingers grasping her hip rather firmly. She glanced up at him to find him snoring lightly and couldn't help but smile. Doing her best not to wake him, she plucked the cat from his lap and went to the closet to grab a blanket. As she walked back to the couch he stirred and fluttered his eyes open. He stretched and turned to look for her, grinning lazily when he found her holding a blanket. "Sorry, I didn't intend to pass out," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"I'm pretty sure I fell asleep first, so that would make me a crappy hostess," Laryn replied, dropping the blanket into the rocker and plopping back onto the couch.  
  
"Not at all, I had a great night." He ran his hands through his perfectly disheveled hair and stood up. "I'll let you get some sleep, though. You must be exhausted."  
  
"I am, actually. But before you go," she stood and padded into the kitchen. After rummaging through one of the cabinets, she emerged with a tupperware container and a knife. "I can't let you leave without taking some dessert." She cut off a hefty piece of the tiramisu she slaved over earlier that day and placed it into the container, grinning as she brought it to him. "That's the first tiramisu I've made, so let me know if it sucks or needs tweaking."  
  
"I doubt it's anything other than delicious," he said with a smile as they stepped toward the front door and he turned to face her. "I really did have a wonderful night. Dinner was amazing and you're a great hostess."  
  
Laryn felt her face ignite as she blushed for about the millionth time that night. "Well, thank you for coming and not talking shit about my cooking. I mean not that you would, you seemed to like it, I think--I mean I know I'm no master chef but--"  
  
She was silenced by hands cradling her face, brushing strands of her silky black hair behind her ears. Her breath hitched in her throat and green eyes widened as she realized he was much closer than he was a moment ago, his lips only inches from hers. She reached up with shaky hands and lightly grasped his wrists. "You're beautiful. You're smart, independent, charming, and an amazing cook. Don't ever let a man take that from you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, nose, cheek, hovered over her slightly parted lips and smiled. "Goodnight, Laryn." He picked up his container of dessert from the tiny table next to the front door, glanced back at her as he walked out the door, winked and left.   
  
Laryn was frozen. She couldn't even sit down. She had to pinch herself to keep from melting in the very spot she stood. Once she gathered her sanity, she practically floated into the dining area to clean up what little food had been left, went into the bedroom to get ready for bed, and laid awake staring at the ceiling with the dumbest grin plastered on her face.   
  
**************************************  
  
Sebastian hung his blazer in the front closet once inside his own apartment and stood in the living room smiling, feeling pretty satisfied with himself. What he felt for Laryn was... Different, not what he was accustomed to, but he liked it. He looked at the container in his hand. He wasn't one to have midnight snacks, but what the hell. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a fork from the silverware drawer, leaned against the counter and took a bite. His eyes widened, then fluttered shut. "Oh my God..." he moaned as he savored the first bite. He'd never tasted anything so delicious in his life. _Yep, you've got my full attention._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not bad for a first date, huh? ;) btw my parents actually have a pit bull of that exact description! You can see pics of her on my IG which is listed in my profile :) I definitely had her in mind when writing in the dog. So lemme know what y'all thought!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's PARTY time! P-A-R-T-WHY? Because I GOTTA! Sebastian throws a party and enlists Laryn's help, and things happen when everyone leaves. ;D
> 
> ***WARNING: mentions of drugs and drug usage involved in this chapter!***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I don't have anything on my phone to count words, but I have a feeling this one's longggg. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Laryn awoke Friday morning with an extra spring in her step. Sebastian's party was tonight and it was time for them to go shopping for supplies. She bounced her way into the kitchen to start a pot of the coffee that she finally got around to buying, scooping up Bucky the cat and hugging him on her way. As she awaited the magical brown elixir, she fed Leeloo and an impatient Bucky (who already had food, but the bottom of the bowl was just barely visible, which means it must be filled before the fickle cat would touch it), and went over her short grocery list once more to ensure that nothing was missed. They only needed to purchase about half of what she needed; the other half she already had in her cupboard and insisted on using. 

 

She had padded back to the bedroom to get dressed and had just pulled her favorite Eminem t-shirt over her head when the coffee maker began sputtering, signalling it's completion. She hurriedly pulled on a pair of unmatching socks and slid her way across the hardwood flooring into the kitchen, where she promptly lost her footing and skidded into a wall. 

 

For as long as she could remember, Laryn had been the resident walking accident wherever she went; tripping over nothing and just having poor balance in general, running into things, constantly dropping things or haphazardly throwing items due to her poor grip, and so on. She'd lost count of how many teeth she broke during her childhood (thank God for porcelain veneers) and her ankles were both permanently weakened, a direct result of multiple sprains. Needless to say, it had been a long time since she was actually surprised by mysterious bruises and scrapes that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The embarrassment of a public mishap, however, never lessened. 

 

Cursing herself and massaging her knee that collided with the wall first, she stood up and limped to the coffee maker to fill her thermos. She then pulled on her shoes and hoodie, said goodbye to her pets, and left. As she headed down the hall to Seb's apartment, he stepped out and turned to lock his door, spotting Laryn and grinning. The butterflies in her belly swarmed, nearly making her dizzy. 

 

"You ready?" Seb asked as he approached her, placing a hand at the small of her back and turning them toward the stairs. 

 

"Yep!" she said enthusiastically, holding up her list and smiling. "I hope you like spicy food, because about half of what I'm gonna be cooking will probably make you sweat."

 

"Just don't kill me," Seb chuckled as they hit the sidewalk and headed for the grocery store. 

 

"No promises there," Laryn quipped. "Some of the ingredients aren't even available up here, which is why I'm glad I brought them from home. You ever had Big Red?"

 

"The gum?"

 

"Oh dear Lord, Seb... I mean the soda. Good thing I brought a few cases when I moved here."

 

They arrived at the store and began their hunt for food items: dinner rolls, flour, round steak, several different cheeses, little smokies, vegetables, cayenne pepper, pink lemonade mix, and a few other things Laryn needed for her own personal use. 

 

After locating everything and a bit of goofing around, they checked out at the register and made their way back home to cook, stopping a couple times along the way so Sebastian could sign a couple autographs. Laryn felt a warmth bubble up in her chest at this sight; it wouldn't matter if he was in the middle of dinner, Seb would always accommodate his fans and be more than happy doing it.

 

As he turned back to proceed with her back to their building, he caught her trying to hide a smile. "What?" he asked.

 

She shook her head. "It's just so heartwarming seeing you interacting with your fans and being so kind." She transferred all her grocery bags to one hand and looped her free hand through the crook of his elbow.

 

Sebastian blushed, the adorable bastard. "I owe a lot to my fans. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for them." 

 

"And not all celebrities have that attitude. It's refreshing, and super sweet." 

 

They stood at the foot of the stairs inside their building exchanging smiles, Laryn momentarily getting lost in his soft blue eyes before making her way upstairs and pulling him with her. She unconsciously slid her hand down from his elbow to grasp his hand and she was blissfully unaware of her own actions until he took the lead and tugged her in the direction of his apartment. When they reached the door, he released her hand to dig in his pocket for his keys, taking notice of her bright red cheeks. He unlocked the door and held it open, motioning for her to enter first.

 

His apartment was a good bit nicer than hers; it had a touch of elegance with arched doorways and greek-style columns that almost left Laryn speechless. "It's beautiful in here," she breathed, finding her way to the kitchen and setting the groceries on the counter.

 

Thanks. My ex, she didn't really like it. Thought it was too fancy, I guess."

 

Well, I think it's great." Laryn smiled as her eyes continued to sweep over her surroundings, drinking in every little detail. "I've gotta run to my place and grab everything else," she stated as she headed back to the door.

 

Just come on in when you're done, I'll leave the door unlocked."

 

*****************************************

 

Two hours into food prep, Laryn began growing exhausted and her eyes and sinuses were on fire from roasting peppers and chopping onions for the carne guisada she decided to cook, courtesy of her parents' recipe they sent along with her when she left her true home.

 

I need to take a breather, these peppers are killin' me," she whined as she shuffled over to the couch, swiping at her watery eyes.

 

Seb red-faced and teary-eyed Seb followed her and plopped down at the other end of the sectional. "I thought you were used to spicy food, Miss Badass Texan," he teased, rubbing a hand down his face to wipe away the sweat that accumulated while cooking.

 

"I'm accustomed to the taste, but the preparation always gets me," she chuckled as she wiped away a stray tear. "Good thing I have milk, I imagine some of y'all are gonna need it."

 

"Have you considered starting a catering business?"

 

"Oh God, no. I'm not that confident. Also, I wouldn't have time and lack management skills."

 

"Oh come on, I bet you could pull it off."

 

"You have an astonishing amount of confidence in me for only knowing me for a week."

 

"Well," Seb smiled and moved closer to her, "you're astonishing." 

 

Laryn's heart nearly pounded out of her chest, out of excitement with a pang of fear. She wanted him so painfully badly. She ached to feel his body pressed against hers, she wanted to run her shaky hands all over him, to tangle her fingers in his hair and kiss him with all of the passion that her failed marriage had lacked; but the tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered _no, you'll only get hurt again._

 

All of the painful memories and the struggle of what the fuck to do came rushing back and she felt her chest tightening and tears threatening to cascade down her flushed cheeks. She needed an excuse. "Um... Bathroom..." she mumbled as she stood up and ran down the hall in a flash, leaving a puzzled Sebastian behind. _Don't let him see, don't let him see..._

 

She stumbled into the bathroom and locked the door behind her, letting the tears fall as she fell against the door, her body racked by the silent sobs she couldn't contain. It had been a couple weeks sonce she ran out of her deptession medication and she was now cursing herself for not getting one last refill before moving. She had to wing it.

 

Steeling herself, she stepped in front of the mirror and wiped her face and eyes before pulling out her eyeliner and reapplying. She couldn't do anything to cover up how puffy and blotchy her eyes and cheeks had become, but oh well.

 

"Is everything okay"? Seb called feom outside the bathroom door. He probably assumed something ridiculous like he creeped her out, bless his pure little heart.

 

She heaved a sigh and went for the door, opening it to find him still standing there with a look of unmistakable concern etched across his face. Laryn put on a fake smile.

 

"I'm fine, just got something in my eye," she lied. "They're super sensitive and sometimes I have to flush them out."

 

Still looking concerned, Sebastian nodded, though he couldn't shake the feeling that he had done something wrong. As she brushed past him and into the hallway, he grasped her forearm lightly, just enough to make her stop and turn toward him.

 

"You know you can talk to me, sweetheart," he almost whispered as he cupped her chin and tilted her face upward. Her eyes, still bloodshot from her moment of weakness, tried to avoid his gaze, but she eventually peered up at him, his brow crinkled with concern.

 

She sighed deeply as her brain and heart fought each other on what to do next, and she was slightly relieved when Sebastian released her chin to run his hand down the side of her neck and shoulder before resting on her arm; his other hand slowly rose to mimic its counterpart.

 

Laryn decided it was now or never, and she didn't want to stand in the hallway forever. "I'm just... It's--I'm a little... Fucked up."

 

Seb replied with a wordless look of confusion, so she hesitantly continued.

 

"My ex... He broke me. I mean--he never hit me or anything... I grew up watching my dad beat my mom, so there's no fucking way I would have let it happen to me, but--"

 

She cut herself off when Seb pulled her into his arms. He held her there in the most comforting embrace she had ever experienced, one hand stroking circles into her back while the other traveled upward and burying itself in her hair. She snaked her arms around him and breathed him in as he kissed her hair and went to her ear.

 

"Whatever he did to you... It's not okay. And I won't force you to relive it, or do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You deserve so much more than that, Laryn."

 

"But how do I make the pain go away?"

 

He leaned back and smiled, wiping the tears from her cheeks that she didn't even realize had fallen. "Sometimes people walk out of our lives to make room for someone new. Life is too short to be unhappy."

 

Laryn looked down and tried to process what she just heard. _Someone new..._

 

She was at a loss of what to say, so she was thrilled when the kitchen timer went off, announcing that her ranch sliders were done cooking. She hugged Sebastian once more, mumbled a 'thank you' into his chest and ran off to the kitchen to attend to the food while Seb watched her with more intensity than he realized. He then followed her, aware that there was still food to be made.

 

*****************************************

 

Laryn and Seb stood back and admired their handiwork: the counter and dining table filled with all kinds of snacky foods from extra spicy queso, to chicken fried steak bites, to deep fried mac and cheese, and several other things that Laryn grew up on back home.

 

"Well darlin', I think at least the food part of your get-together is gonna go over pretty well," she drawled, side-glancing up at Sebastian who was exercising a great amount of self-control to not eat all of the food before his guests arrived. "Oh! I almost forgot. I'll be right back." She ran to the door and out into the hallway toward her apartment. Seb simply laughed and sat down to wait, trying out the queso. Moments later, she returned with a tray of... Something. "These," she set the tray in the fridge," are lemonade pie bites. I had to wing it on the bites part since I've only ever made an actual pie out of it."

 

Seb grinned and stood as she left the kitchen to dig into the carne guisada that had just finished cooking. "I wish you could see how amazing you are," he breathed into her hair as he threw his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

 

 _Dammit, if he doesn't kiss me for real soon I'm going to explode!_ "Well, it's almost time. What did you have planned besides getting fat and drunk?"

 

"You know, I thought I'd just let whatever happens happen," he shrugged.

 

*knock knock knock*

 

Seb made his way to the door and opened it to an unusually sharp-dressed Anthony carrying a case of beer and a bottle of tequila.

 

"Jesus Mack, are you trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me later?" Seb joked as he let Anthony in and eyed the tequila rather hungrily.

 

"Maybe," Anthony replied with a wink, making Laryn giggle from her spot at the table and catching Anthony's attention. "Hey girl! What's good?" He strutted over to the table and his jaw dropped when he saw the plethora of food. "Oh God, this is the best night of my life!" He clutched at his heart and put the booze down to scoop Laryn into a tight hug. "You might give me a heart attack with all this grub!"

 

"And it's all for you, sugar," she replied playfully.

 

"Stan, you better stake your claim on this one before I do," Anthony quipped, wagging his thumb at Laryn. Seb looked only slightly perturbed with the comment, but his eyes softened when he saw that Laryn was looking right at him and blushing crimson.

 

As more people started to arrive, Laryn grew more and more nervous. Never in a million years did she see herself brushing shoulders with celebrities at parties, let alone becoming quite close with her biggest movie star crush ever. She bit back the lingering anxiety that kept creeping up on her as Sebastian wandered through his apartment with her in tow, introducing her to his friends. She eventually recognized Don Saladino, the trainer that Seb worked out with regularly. Chris also came by, not wanting to pass up the opportunity to try all of the delicious food that Laryn made.

 

The food was a hit, especially the queso and lemonade pie bites, and everyone made sure to praise Laryn for her excellent cooking. Anthony simply couldn't get a buzz off of his drinks because he wouldn't stop eating, which irritated him to no end, and he eventually passed out on part of the sectional from eating too much.

 

At almost midnight, all guests but Chris, Anthony and Don had left. They managed to wake Anthony for drinking games, which he responded to rather enthusiastically. They all decided on the name game, picking names for each other and sticking the paper to their foreheads.

 

"Uhh... Am I alive?" Laryn asked, downing a few gulps of wine. (Her "name" was Marilyn Monroe.)

 

"Nope," was the collective response.

 

"Dammit..." she took another swig.

 

"Okay, am I dead?" Seb asked the room, his "name" being Abraham Lincoln.

 

"Yes!" Laryn and Chris blurted out a little too loudly.

 

Seb fist pumped and pondered his next question. "Am I... A U.S. president?"

 

"Oh my God... Yes." Anthony groaned, clearly not happy that he always lost to Seb. "How are you so good at this? You always beat me!"

 

"I'm just that good. Okay, did I wear a big hat?"

 

"Yep," everyone else replied. He was going to win, of course.

 

"Abraham Lincoln!" his hands shot up into the air, almost sloshing tequila from his glass. Everyone groaned and tore the papers from their heads in defeat. "Fuck it, I'm drinking anyway." He downed the rest of his liquor and slammed the glass down onto the coffee table.

 

"Man, you win at everything," Chris mumbled from across the room, nearly nodding off.

 

"Well Seb," Don started, hauling himself off the couch, "the wife is gonna have my head if I'm out any later. I'll catch you at the gym. Great to meet you, L. The food was great. Stick around, will ya? This guy could use a good woman," Don wagged his thumb at Seb on his last statement, causing both Laryn and Seb to blush. Laryn nodded at his compliment and waved goodbye as Don grabbed his coat and proceeded to leave.

 

Meanwhile, after drawing all over Chris' face when he finally gave in to drunken slumber, Anthony decided to call it a night and go home, after confessing his undying love for Laryn's food, of course.

 

"Catch you guys later," he called over his shoulder as he opened the door to exit. "And don't ever stop cooking, Laryn. Like... Ever."

 

As Anthony closed the door behind him, Sebastian and Laryn both examined the amusing sight of Chris halfway falling off the sectional, his head leaned back with his mouth wide open emitting an obnoxiously loud snore and Anthony's drunken artwork covering his face.

 

"Should we wake him?" Laryn asked, side-glancing to Seb quizzically.

 

"Nah, just leave him. He's practically comatose when he drinks this much," Seb replied with a chuckle.

 

"I take it this isn't the first time y'all have had an intoxicated sleepover." Laryn turned her attention to what was left of the food and began putting it in containers she thought to bring from her place.

 

"Not at all." Seb padded over to the table to help her with the leftovers, popping a lemonade pie bite into his mouth as he filled a rubbermaid with the rest of the queso dip.

 

The table was cleared of food in just a few minutes and the leftover alcohol dealt with accordingly; that is, most of it was put away with the exception of a half-full bottle of orange vodka, which Laryn grabbed as she made her way to the couch.

 

Seb watched her with amusement and stifled a laugh when she nearly slammed her shin right into the coffee table, lost her balance and luckily tumbled onto the couch rather than the floor. She looked over her shoulder, embarrassed to find that he had seen the incident.

 

"You really are an accident with legs, aren't you?" he asked with a smirk as he sat down next to her, leaving only a couple of inches between them.

 

Laryn swiped her bright red face amd laughed. "I get it from my mom, only mine is about times ten of her clumsiness." She closed the subject by taking a giant swig of the vodka she almost forgot she was holding and held the bottle out to Seb, who raised an eyebrow rather mischievously.

 

"You sure you wanna keep drinking, doll?" he purred, taking the bottle and having himself a generous drink.

 

Laryn shrugged. "Why not? You got anything else in mind?"

 

 _Maybe_. "No, not really. I just know you're prone to hurting yourself and would hate to have to rush you to the hospital or something."

 

"Oh please," Laryn scoffed, snatching the bottle back and taking another drink. "I may be a bumbling klutz, but I'll have you know that during my party phase I was always the designated fucked up driver."

 

Now Seb's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline and his interest was piqued to the max. "I have to hear about this. Go on, tell me how good you are."

 

"Well," Laryn giggled, "one particular night I was feeling rather adventurous and went to a rave with some friends... We were all on x tabs, but one of my friends had a few hits of acid on him too. So, me being the wild child that I was, I took a hit of acid while I rolled on the x."

 

Seb smiled and his gaze grew somewhat dark, as if aroused by the thought of Laryn completely free of inhibitions and no doubt feeling utterly euphoric, begging to be touched. "You really do like to party, don't you?" He snuck his arm across the back of the couch behind her shoulders.

 

"I did. I partied pretty hard back in the day. Anyway, since I was always the DD, I got to drive us all back to my place rolling balls and tripping on acid. THAT was fun. Like literally a fucking blast. And I always did perfectly." She finished her story with a wide goofy grin. "Actually..." she trailed off and went to where her purse was sitting on the bar countertop and rummaged through it, pulling out a couple of items and bringing them to present to Sebastian. "I don't know how you feel about this, but..." she held out a small bag of weed and a pipe.

 

Seb grinned and motioned for her to sit down. "It's been a while since I've smoked weed, so please excuse me if I become obnoxiously silly."

 

"Oh, but I plan to enjoy that thoroughly," Laryn slurred as she filled the pipe, the vodka  beginning to take affect. She handed the pipe and a lighter to Seb, who took much too big of a hit and promptly choked.

 

"Holy shit, that's good weed," he choked out as he started laughing. Laryn took the pipe from him and took a big hit herself, holding it before exhaling.

 

"You know, you're prety cute when you're stoned," Laryn said, poking his ribs and making him jolt. "Oh, so you're ticklish too!"

 

"Oh my God no!"

 

Laryn pounced and grabbed at his sides as he tried to control his laughter and evade her attacks. Eventually, he overcame her, pinning her to the couch by her hips. Their laughter ceased as they realized their position and simply gazed at each other, each desperately wanting the other to make a move. Laryn lessened her grasp on his ribs and hesitantly moved one hand to his chest and the other snaked up his back to rest at the nape of his neck to fiddle with his unnaturally soft hair. Sebastian dragged his tongue across his bottom lip and pulled it between his teeth as he let one of his hands wander up her side to rest on her outer ribcage, inching his face closer and closer to hers ever so slowly.

 

 _Oh God, this is happening..._ Laryn felt that tiny fear at the back of her mind again, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from his unbelievably beautiful eyes, which were beginning to dilate with desire. _Fuck it._ She finally gave in and pulled him to her, her lips finally touching his and she couldn't believe how soft they were. Sebastian smiled and brought a hand up to cup her face, which she leaned into and allowed him to deepen the kiss as his tongue grazed her lips and she saw stars as their tongues danced together and hands became more exploratory. She moaned into his mouth as his hands snuck underneath her shirt and brushed over her stomach and ribs while she had one hand fisted in his hair and the other constantly moving from his shoulder down to grip his firm bicep and snake back to his toned back. He broke the kiss to trail his lips up her jawline to her neck, nipping and kissing until he found the spot that made her gasp: just behind her ear. She tightened her grip on his hair and brought her free leg up to hook around his hip, causing him to groan and grab her thigh as he pushed his hips into hers and his mouth descended upon hers again more hungrily than the previous kiss.

 

As Laryn began tugging at his shirt in a feeble attempt to remove it, the gentleman lightbulb clicked in Sebastian's mind and he abruptly broke their passionate kiss as he lightly grasped her wrists. "W-wait, stop..." he quickly sat up. Running his hands and pursing his lips he tried to shake off the overwhelming waves of lust that washed over him.

 

Laryn pushed herself up onto her elbows and leaned against the arm of the couch, confused and hurt as she fought to keep her eyes from watering. "Am I... Did I--"

 

Sebastian shook his head and cupped her face as he placed a tender kiss on her swollen lips. "You did nothing wrong, sweetheart. I promise. I just... Can't take advantage of you while you're drunk... While we're both drunk. It wouldn't be right."

 

Laryn laughed and bit her lip. _Can he be any more perfect?!_ "Well... You wouldn't be taking advantage of me... But I do expect this to be continued at a later time." She smiled at his chivalry; it isn't completely dead after all.

 

Seb sighed and slid into a slouching position. "I have to leave town for a couple weeks... Make some public appearances, speak at a couple conventions." He sounded as if he didn't want to go.

 

"Okay. I understand," Laryn noted. She understood his celebrity status and wasn't about to get upset about it. "Will you at least be back in time for my birthday? It's on the fifth."

 

He threw his head back and groaned. "Really?! Dammit... I won't be able to come back until the seventh." He turned his body to her and took her hand, a look of defeat in his eyes. "I'll make it up to you. When I get back. I'll make sure you won't ever forget it." He brought her hand to his lips, kissing each knuckle, then moved closer to kiss her lips ever so softly.

 

Laryn grinned and nodded. "Well, I guess this is my queue to get my ass to bed." She went to stand, but Sebastian shot up first and offered his hand. She took it and went to grab her purse off the bar, Seb in tow the entire way to ensure she didn't trip or run into anything. She made it to the door unscathed, opened it and turned to face Sebastian. "Sweet dreams, sugar," she slurred. He smiled and kissed her goodnight, which turned into multiple kisses, then became more heated as Laryn began to claw at his shirt again before she pushed herself away. "Okay, I'm gonna go before you end up getting raped."

 

He let out a hearty, sexy laugh. "You couldn't rape me if you tried, sweetheart. I'll take it all with a smile." Laryn turned beet red, earning another laugh. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you blush?"

 

Laryn smiled and bit her lip. "Goodnight, Sebastian." She turned on her heel and made it to her apartment without falling. _Sweet dreams is right._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hours following Seb's party prove to be... Interesting for Laryn, to say the least. WARNING: SMUT!!!!! :D Also Seb leaves town for work-related things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg you guys, I soo had fun writing this chapter. But I was also drunk sooo xD I hope this isn't too short, I don't have an app that will do a word count. But y'all enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laryn's eyes shot wide open, for no apparent reason other than her occasional insomnia brought on by her severe vitamin D deficiency, in the middle of the night. She peered over a sleeping Bucky the cat at her bedside clock, which read 1:43. Sighing heavily, she began to kick the covers off, surprised to find that she was still wearing the low-cut plaid blouse and black mini skirt she had worn to Sebastian's party just a couple hours ago. Puzzled because she never just fell asleep in the clothes she wore during the day, she got up anyway and ventured into the living room and found the tv remote as she plopped down on the couch, startling Leeloo from her slumber at the other end of the couch. She found the channel for Adult Swim and settled into the corner, pulling her feet up underneath her.

 

She jumped a few minutes later when there was a knock on the door. She shot up and rushed to the door, checking her appearance in the mirror on the wall above the tv. That could logically only be one person...

 

She disregarded the peephole and proceeded to unlock and swing the door open to a drunk and very sexy looking Sebastian, grinning widely with almost a primal look in his eyes as he leaned against the doorframe with one hand and rested the other in his pants pocket. The first three buttons on his shirt were undone, exposing a bit of his chest hair, and Laryn couldn't help but gawk at him.

 

"Hey beautiful," he purred as she let him in and closed the door behind him.

 

"I see you couldn't sle--"

 

She couldn't even finish her sentence before he had her pinned against the door, his lips smashing against hers faster than she could blink. If he had been any other person, she would have shoved him away and kicked him out; he wasn't, however, so the only action her brain could muster was to give in. Her eyes fluttered closed and he hands found his hair and ran through it, nails scratching lightly at the back of his neck before they trailed down his shoulders and to hus chest to begin the task of undoing the rest of the buttons on his shirt.

 

He pushed his body against hers for some kind of friction and moaned softly when her body pushed right back, causing him to break their connection and stare into her eyes. "No, I couldn't sleep," he whispered, his lips so close to hers that he could brush his nose against hers. "You know why?"

 

She bit her lip and shook her head, not breaking eye contact as she continued to fiddle with his shirt and growing increasingly impatient as she could feel his growing erection pressing against her thigh.

 

He laughed and ran his hand up her bare thigh, not missing how her body shuddered beneath his fingertips. "Because you were all the way over here instead of with me."

 

Laryn couldn't stand the tension anymore and gave up on the buttons, choosing to rip his shirt open the rest of the way. Sebastian groaned and descended upon her parted lips once again, hungry and swallowing up her little noises she made when his hands began to wander. She ran her shaky hands all over his chest and pushed his shirt off his shoulders before traveling down to the button on his pants as he continued to devour her mouth. Since there was only one button this time, his pants were down much faster than his shirt. His pants were off in a flash and she squeaked in surprise when he grabbed her thighs just beneath her ass and hoisted her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist as he slammed her back against the door and began a torturous trail of heat down her neck with his mouth. He reached the collar of her blouse and broke the kiss again to tug it up and over her head, tossing it over his shoulder while she tore her bra from her body and he marveled at her large, perfect breasts, causing her to blush profusely. He licked his lips and continued his searing trail down to her heaving chest, teasing a nipple with his tongue and teeth while pinching the other with his fingers.

 

"Seb," she breathed, half in pure ecstacy and half irritation. She had dreamed of this for years and it was finally happening, so one would think she would want to draw it out and make it last as long as possible, but the aching at her core was just too much for her. She needed release. She gripped his hair and tugged lightly and he stopped his teasing to peer up at her, eyes completely black with lust.

 

"Are we impatient, doll?" He went back to her lips just before she could answer, forcing his tongue into her mouth and drawing sounds from her she never knew she could make. Suddenly he was snaking a hand in between their bodies and down the front of her soaked panties, teasing her slit and hissing upon discovering how wet she already was and not wasting any time pushing two fingers inside her, making her see stars. She moaned louder into his mouth and bucked her hips into his hand.

 

He took his lips to her ear and brought the lobe between his teeth, tugging slightly. "God, you make such sexy noises with that pretty mouth of yours baby," he hissed into her ear, gasping when he felt one of her hands cup his bulge and start rubbing. "What do you want, sweetheart?"

 

Laryn's brain was still going haywire and couldn't form complete thoughts, so she settled for moaning loudly and thrusting harder into his hand, positively gushing as he curled his fingers upward and hit that oh so sweet spot inside her that caused her to shiver and arch her back before going limp.

 

Sebastian chuckled, recoiling his hand from her and shoving his boxers down as he kissed her lips sweetly. She pulled her ruined panties out of the way. She knew what was coming next. Tightening her grip on his shoulder with her other hand, she peered up and found him gazing down at her like she was his lifeline as he lined himself up with her entrance with one hand and tightened his grip on her ass with the other for better leverage. "Look at me," he whispered, "I want you to watch me as I tear you apart." Settling his forehead against hers, he pushed his hips forward and--

 

_"Aaaand good morning, New York!"_

 

Her eyes shot open again, only this time it was morning and she was alone. _What the fuck?!_ She looked down at herself and was surprised to see a sheen of sweat glistening on her skin and her hand... In her panties? She pulled her hand out and stared at it. _It was just a dream..._ She could have cried out of frustration but felt a massive headache coming on, so she settled for shutting up the annoying voice emitting from the bedside clock radio and migrating to the couch along with her comforter. The darkness of her living room was much more soothing than the excessive light coming in through her bedroom windows that shw hadn't had a chance to hang curtains over yet. She settled in to a comfortable position and dozed off.

 

The sound of knocking and Leeloo barking at the unexpected noise startled Laryn out of her slumber, only making her already splitting headache worse. She didn't move at first, hoping they would go away, but seconds later came a second round of light knocks. _Fucking really?!_ She squinted up at the clock with one eye and saw that it was just before ten in the morning... On a Saturday, no less.

 

With a heavy sigh and a groan, she stumbled off the couch with her comforter wrapped around her and her long hair an unruly mess, and made her way to the door. "This better be fucking good!" she yelled at the door, just before reaching it and looking through the peephole to see a coffee-toting Sebastian on the other side with a look of amusement gracing his gorgeous features, no doubt grinning at her shouted obscenity. Her temper softened upon seeing him, however only slightly as the pounding in her head grew worse and she was still incredibly frustrated from the dream that had seemed so real.

 

She fumbled with the locks while trying to keep her blanket wrapped tightly around her for warmth and opened the door. "You're lucky I like you a lot," she mumbled as she shuffled back to the couch and laid back down.

 

Seb smiled as he closed the door behind him and placed the coffee on the table in front of her. "I most certainly am," he replied as he bent down and planted a soft kiss on her temple before taking a seat at her feet. "And that is why I've come bearing a care package." He held up a grocery bag for her to see before placing the contents on the table next to the coffee: tylenol, a bottle of 7up, and chicken noodle soup.

 

She opened one eye and examined the items as she slowly sat up and dropped her head onto his shoulder, which he countered by wrapping his arm around her and closing the small space between them, causing her blanket to open slightly and expose her bare legs and tiny Star Wars panties, which he found to be adorable. "How on God's green earth are you conscious so early after last night?" she asked, slowly easing forward to grab the tylenol and wash a couple pills down with the coffee that was still just a tad too hot. Nevertheless, she held the cup to her chest and slung her legs over Sebastian's lap, still one-eyed and messy-haired.

 

Seb frowned at her question, staring quietly at her legs as he began ghosting his fingertips around her kneecap and down her shin. "I'm leaving town today and wanted to see you before I go."

 

She smiled weakly at how adorable he was. "You know I'm gonna be here when you get back, right?"

 

"Yeah, I know..." He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, one of Laryn's favorite little quirks of his.

 

"So," she started, drawing out the word, "just call me when you miss me. You'll be back before you know it." She shifted to sit up, now that her headache had begun to subside, and sat cross-legged, forgetting she only wore a t-shirt and panties. "I'll even make you dinner when you get back."

 

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her, deepening it when she parted her lips and let her hand wander to rest on his thigh, all modesty thrown out the window as she let her blanket fall to the floor. He broke their kiss to wrap his arms around her and pull her flush to him and sit in comfortable silence as he scratched Leeloo behind her ear when she became impatient and nuzzled his leg.

 

"When does your flight leave?" Laryn asked, holding him just a bit tighter in anticipation of his answer.

 

"In about three hours," he mumbled into her tangled hair. "I haven't even packed yet," he admitted with a small laugh.

 

"You should probably go do that, then," Laryn mock-scolded him. He nodded. She could tell he didn't want to leave, so she decided to suggest the first thing that popped into her head. "Do you... Maybe want me to see you off? At the airport?"

 

He seemed to perk up at this idea, kissing her blushing cheek before pulling himself off the couch and bringing her with him. "I'd love that," he said with a smile. "Although, you might cause quite a stir at the airport with no pants on." His eyes raked down her form to her bare thighs and he bit his lip when he spotted the rather large cross tattoo adorning the front of her left thigh, causing her blush to burn brighter.

 

"Yeah, let me just... Yeah..." Laryn trailed off as she shuffled off to her room to get dressed while Seb's eyes followed her ass as it bounced in tune with her wide hips swaying back and forth.

 

In less than five minutes, she had returned fully clothed, eye makeup touched up, and hair brushed smooth, toting her messenger bag and a purple pair of hi-tops with green laces. Seb eyed her mismatched socks in amusement, which Laryn noticed. "What? Life is too short to make sure your socks match," she said matter-of-factly as she sat down to pull the colorful sneakers on her feet and adding, "Especially if no one's gonna see them," waving her hi-tops to illustrate her point.

 

Having been put in a much better mood, Seb went to pack after informing her that he would be back in half an hour. Laryn took this time to cook up a couple breakfast sandwiches for them to eat on the way to the airport, surprising him upon his return and earning herself the most adorably goofy grin and a gratifying kiss as they made their way out to the street. At the curb there was a luxurious-looking black car, which Laryn eyed suspiciously until Sebastian walked up to the trunk and threw his bags inside, then swinging around to open the back door for her.

 

She ooh'd and aah'd as she climbed into the back seat, having never ridden in a car so nice before. "So fancy," she stated as Seb entered the car after her and closed the door, allowing her to settle into his side as he swung his arm around her shoulders. "I feel like royalty."

 

He shrugged, having gotten used to this treatment long ago. "I'd rather drive myself, but as I'm sure you've noticed, it's near impossible to own a car here."

 

Laryn nodded, her thoughts wandering to her car that she begrudgingly had to leave behind in Texas in the capable hands of her sister. She loved to drive, despite nearly nobody in the Dallas area knowing how to fucking drive, so not being able to bring her car with her was hard on her. She pushed the thought out of her mind and allowed herself to take in the scenery of an unfamiliar part of the city as it passed by outside the car windows.

 

"So what do you wanna do for your birthday?" Laryn tore her eyes away from the window to glance up at Sebastian. "Any ideas?"

 

She nearly became lost in thought trying to think of something... Anything. "Well... There is something, but it's way too bright here, even at night." Seb eyed her quizzically, waiting for her to elaborate, although he already had a good idea of what she was getting at. "Well," she began, "it's been a long time since I've seen some cool space shit, like falling stars or an incoming shuttle or... I mean even Dallas was too bright at night to stargaze... You had to go way out of town for it to be dark enough... It's silly." She hung her head in embarrassment, assuming he would think her idea stupid.

 

"You do realize I played an astronaut, right? I love space! And it's not silly." He grazed his hand up and down her arm reassuringly. "We'll think of something," he told her, already concocting a plan in his head.

 

They reached the airport within the next ten minutes and piled out, Laryn curiously taking in her surroundings as Seb grabbed his bags and informed the driver to wait for her and take her back home.

 

"Alright then," Seb appeared next to her and took her hand as they entered the enormous airport. There were tons of people there at the time, more people than she had ever seen inside an airport at once before, and many of them were looking right at them. Surely they recognized Sebastian, but he was holding hands with her, a nobody. She suddenly became extremely self-conscious and tried to trail behind Seb in her own feeble attempt at hiding. "Just ignore the looks, doll," Seb called over his shoulder when he felt her lagging behind. "You'll get used to it."

 

 _I'll get used to it?_ She wondered what he meant by that. _Are we like... Official? Will we be going out in public? He wants to be seen with me?_ Millions of questions zoomed through her mind at speeds that a NASCAR driver would be floored by. She nearly collided with his back when he suddenly stopped.

 

"This is my gate," he stated, turning toward her and pulling her to him. "Will you be okay finding the car?"

 

She nodded. "I'm exceptionally gifted at not getting lost," she smiled.

 

"Good," he grinned back. He looked at the security detail, then back at her, placing one hand on her waist while the other cradled her cheek, tracing the bone with his thumb. "I'll be back in two weeks."

 

She nodded, leaning into his hand. "If you call me I'll tell you what I dreamed about you last night," she grinned mischievously when his eyes widened and the hand on her waist went to her hip and gripped it tightly. "But only if you call me, and only when you get back."

 

"You know I will," he replied, tongue darting out to wet his lips before he continued. "I'll miss you," he lowered his head to where his face was just inches from hers.

 

"I'll miss you too," she could barely get the words out before he captured her lips in a long but sweet kiss. She ran her hands up his arms, one stopping at his bicep and the other traveling up to the back of his neck, causing his skin there to break out in goosebumps and groan lightly. She could swear she heard the distinctive sound of cameras flashing, but she ignored it. She broke the kiss before it got too heated while people stared and said, "You'd better get going."

 

He closed his eyes and nodded in disappointment, releasing her and adjusting the shoulder strap on his bag. He remained silent as he walked toward the gate and released her hand, letting it fall to her side as she waved him on and smiled. When she could no longer see him, she turned on her heel and nearly ran into the throng of people holding... Paparazzi cameras... Pointed right at her. _Fuck._


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn gets a rather upsetting call from her mother, bringing back painful memories. Sebby then calls and makes everything better. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! i hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! This one just came off the top of my head out of nowhere. Thank the heavens for slow days at work! Let me know what y'all think and shoot me a comment :)

__

 

 

It had been almost a full week since Sebastian left New York and Laryn was getting antzy, the moment she turned to leave the airport and nearly colliding with a crowd of paparazzi still clear in her mind. Of course, she got daily reminders as well: she had seen photos of her and Seb "canoodling" at the airport in magazines already, and people on the street were beginning to recognize her and wonder who Sebastian Stan's new "mystery lady" is. It was only a matter of time before she received that "What the hell is going on?!" call from her mother, who already dogged her constantly about communicating more and flying to New York to visit.

 

Naturally, Sebastian kept his word and called her every night, alternating between facetiming and an actual phone call. He would beg her to elaborate on the dream that she teased him with before he left, only to whine in feigned disappointment; he knew he would get it out of her eventually. Plus, Laryn found his pout absolutely adorable and couldn't resist torturing him, and he knew this. He only did it to watch her eyes light up and hear her infectious giggle.

 

Luckily, she started her new job that Monday so she was preoccupied for some of the time. It was now Saturday and her birthday will be a week from tomorrow. She was in her office, slouching in her office chair and just finished entering data from her most recent field inspection to send to her manager before scouring the internet for things to do around the city to keep herself occupied until Seb returned. Leeloo laid on the floor in the corner, snoring softly, and Bucky the cat was nowhere to be found. Laryn was unbearably bored and the internet wasn't helping, so she pulled herself lazily out of the chair and trudged into the kitchen to eat out of boredom. As she raided the fridge for everything necessary for a big breakfast (despite the fact that it was just after four in the afternoon), her phone rang out with that telltale noise of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy repeating different variations of the word "Mom" over and over. _Oh God, here we go..._ Laryn set the eggs and bacon down on the stovetop and picked up her phone. "Hey Mom..." She knew something was up by the way her mom whispered to her dad rather heatedly on the other end.

 

"Laryn, we've just seen your face all over Access Hollywood with some boy that's supposedly an actor?" her mom almost screamed. "What the hell is going on?!"

 

"Oh my _God_ mom, calm down please," Laryn groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing heavily. "And he's not a boy, he's 34."

 

"Well are you gonna tell us who he is?"

 

"I have!" She threw her hands in the air in frustration. "Multiple times! Granted I didn't know him personally at the time... I tried so hard to get y'all to watch the Captain America movies and y'all just refused. 'Well we don't like the comics so why would we watch the movies?'" she mocked the words of her dad.

 

"So you're really dating a movie star."

 

"I--well... We haven't exactly gotten that far I guess..." Laryn sat at the dining table and drummed her fingers on the cold wood. "I mean we haven't talked about it--"

 

"I don't know how I feel about this, Laryn. Most of Hollywood is a bunch of egotistical, evil bastards. I think you should come home, at least I'll know you're okay."

 

Laryn facepalmed, having grown tired of her mom getting way too paranoid and trying to control her life. "I'm fine, Mom," she deadpanned through gritted teeth.

 

"Will you at least visit for your birthday? It's next Sunday, you know."

 

"Mom, I know when my own birthday is... And I can't. It's just not possible right now."

 

"Well I'll fly out there, then."

 

" _MOTHER_ \--" She began to lose her temper until her dad chimed in in the background.

 

"Ruth, let her be an adult on her own for Christ's sake. She's not a child anymore, hasn't been for a while," she heard him say.

 

Laryn was floored. What an odd and surprising role reversal! "Thanks, Dad!" she called through the phone, unsure if hec would actually hear her.

 

Ruth sighed and paused for a minute. "Okay," she admitted defeat, "just be careful. New York is dangerous, and I worry about you. And I just don't know how I feel about you seeing someone so soon after that sham of a marriage to that asshole--"

 

"Mom, I get it. Plus, it's been like a year. And do you really think I'm gonna pass up a chance to be with my #1 celebrity crush? No. No way. Besides, he's the perfect gentleman and has a lot more going for him than my ex." She faltered for a minute, not wanting to overstep things with Seb. They hadn't discussed much about dating or relationships so she didn't know how to approach it with anyone, let alone Sebastian himself.

 

"Okay sweetie," her mother finally cooed through the phone. "Just let me know if you need anything."

 

"I will, Mom." She stood and padded back to the kitchen to make her afternoon breakfast. Now that it had been stalled, she was starving.

 

"I love you, and Dad loves you too."

 

"Love you both. Bye." She hung up and nearly combusted with frustration, nearly throwing her phone down the disposal. But what if her mom was right? What if she was in way over her head and she was just a fling to Sebastian? No, that couldn't be. He could have had her the night of his party, but he didn't. She tried to shake the negative thoughts out of her head before they sent her into an episode, but nonetheless she felt the familiar sting of tears behind her eyes. Why was her mom so good at making her cry and think awful things?

 

Quickly losing her appetite, she put the food back up and went to the bedroom, crawling into bed and grabbing one of her pillows to hug and cry into. _Why do you do this to yourself?_

 

She began to tell herself that Seb couldn't possibly want to be with her, that she would just fuck it up like she fucks everything up.

 

Bucky the cat nosed the door open enough to saunter in and climb up onto the bed to wriggle into her arms. Somehow, he knew when Laryn needed comforting and was always there. She ran her hands over his smooth fur, which made him emit low, deep purrs of content.

 

Laryn didn't know what the hell to do. Deep down, she knew she deserved happiness. But...

 

"What should I do, Buck?" she asked the purring cat in her arms, who simply turned his face toward her without opening his eyes and let out a closed-mouthed _mrowww_.

 

She jumped out of her skin and nearly sent Bucky flying across the room when her facetime rang. Her heart jumped up into her throat when she saw that it was Sebastian. Smoothing her hair out and wiping her eyes, she answered the call.

 

"You're early," she quipped with a grin.

 

"We finished the day up a little ahead of schedule," he replied, his usually sunny smile faltering and turning into a frown as his brows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

 

"I'm fine, why?" she quickly spat out.

 

"Your eyes and face are red... You look like you've been crying."

 

As if on queue, much to her dismay, a stray tear that she missed slipped down her cheek. It didn't go unnoticed by Seb because his frown deepened. "You know you can talk to me, right?" Laryn nodded and angrily swiped the tear away, now incredibly embarrassed about being caught in a blatant lie and not being sure of how to approach exactly why she's crying. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" Seb pried, concern etched over his face.

 

Laryn heaved a giant sigh and let her hair fall into her face, contemplating how to start. "I... Don't know exactly... My mom said some things on the phone earlier and it got to me..." She paused to gather her wits and gain control of her breathing while Sebastian patiently waited. "She brought up my ex, and how he treated me, and... She's just worried I guess. I mean what mother isn't, but I have this thing where I take everything and turn it onto myself..." She took note of his quizzical look and elaborated. "For instance, he cheated on me, but I must have done something to... Deserve it, I guess? And then my mind starts racing with all these worst case scenarios and I start to think I'll just fuck everything up but I don't mean to and it scares me because I don't want to push you away because I really really like you and--"

 

"Sweetie, you're rambling," Seb cut her off, shooting her that gorgeous smile of his. "Is that really what you think? That you'll push me away or that I'd hurt you?"

 

"No," she stated firmly, "it's just me being irrational and overthinking everything because I'm an idiot when really I have no idea what we even are and not having my anxiety medication doesn't exactly help..." she paused again, unable to stifle a sob. "I'm a mess, Seb. That's why I'm crying..." She furiously swiped at her cheeks again, internally kicking herself for letting him see her like this. "And now you probably think I'm a crazy person..."

 

He shook his head and let out a slight chuckle. "I think it's perfectly normal to have irrational feelings like this sometimes. When you've been hurt, you will instinctually want to protect yourself from being hurt again, and I would never judge you or ridicule you for being afraid of getting hurt."

 

Laryn half-smiled at the sweetness of his words and sighed with relief, collapsing back onto her mountain of pillows and causing the cat to bounce lightly before jumping from the bed and heading for the door.

 

"As for what we are," Seb continued, his lopsided grin growing ever wider, "what do you want us to be?" Laryn cocked an eyebrow at him. As if he didn't already know the answer to that... Her "Really?" look drew a chuckle from him. "I'm just making sure we're on the same page here. Actually..." He trailed off and blushed as he averted his gaze, "I kind of already told my mom I've been seeing someone."

 

Laryn beamed at his last statement, head swimming and heart pounding. "Well we're even then, my mom saw us together on tv and freaked out, she thinks I'm in over my head."

 

He smirked before taking on a more serious demeanor. "Laryn, I want you to know that I would never hurt you. This is going to sound so cliché, but I'm not every other guy. You can trust me."

 

She nodded, maybe a bit too vigorously. "I know. And I swear I'm not as crazy as I look right now," she giggled as she pulled her hair out of her face.

 

"I'm pretty confident that you're not crazy at all," he quipped, his eyes turning away for a brief second before returning to look at her as if it was the last time he'd get to do so and almost whispered, "I miss you."

 

Laryn's stomach flipped every which way and she wanted so badly to leap through the tiny screen and kiss him with all the burning passion she held within her. "I miss you, too," she managed to choke out.

 

"So about that dream..."

 

Laryn stifled a loud laugh. "You know the drill, sugar," she drawled, wagging her pointer finger at him.

 

"You're killin' me, doll," he groaned, feigning hurt by clutching his chest.

 

"Don't make me tease you over facetime!" she warned him, although he took it very willingly.

 

"Ooh baby, if you call that a threat then two can play at that game," he purred as his gaze grew darker with lust. He propped his phone up against something and yanked his tight shirt over his head, swiping his tongue over his bottom lip as he picked his phone back up so that Laryn had a better view of his gorgeous chest and arms. _God_ , she wanted to run her hands and mouth all over him.

 

Laryn was practically salivating at the sight of him and clenched her thighs together for some friction, dozens of delicious thoughts racing through her mind. "You're an ass," she mumbled as she drew her bottom lip between her teeth, "but as tempting as this is, I haven't eaten all day and my appetite is coming back with a painful vengeance."

 

Sebastian jutted his bottom lip out in a very overexaggerated pout and conceded. "Don't starve on my account. I'll talk to you soon."

 

Laryn blew him a kiss and ended the call, dropping her phone onto her chest and savoured the fluttering feeling in her stomach... Until the fluttering morphed into the sick feeling of her stomach eating itself. She groaned and slid off the bed, then got the most fantastic idea ever. She grinned and chewed on her lip as she shuffled over to the closet, digging out the sexy apron she never got to wear before. It was a '50s-style dress apron with a black and red heart-shaped torso with a short pleated skirt bottom adorned with black and red stripes, completely backless.

 

Next, she located the sexiest pair of thigh-high stockings she had, which were sheer black with matching lacy garter belts. She then grabbed her shiny red pumps and completely undressed to change into the items that she was sure would knock the wind out of him. _You want a tease, I'll give you a tease._

 

Once she fixed her eye shadow and applied the brightest red lipstick she owned, she fixed her hair up into a messy bun and sauntered into the dining room. She took the large mirtor off the wall and propped it up against the wall, angling her phone just right so Seb would see her plump bare ass and a flash of sideboob in the reflection, put on her most sultry expression and snapped a photo.

 

She took a couple more shots that she deemed worthy enough, sent them oneby one to Seb, and held ger breath as she slipped her already aching feet out of her pumps snd gathered up everything she needed to make breakf--er, dinner.

 

Two minutes later her phone dinged. Her heart practically smashed through her chest as she opened the text:

 

S: I'm going to absolutely ruin you when I get home!

 

Her knees took on all the wobbliness of a bowl of jello, so much so that she had to hold onto the counter and praised heaven she already took off those godawful shoes. Once she regained her composure, she began typing her reply:

 

L: You like?

 

She hit send and finally slapped some bacon and sausage into the giant skillet. She was washing her hands to prepare the biscuit dough when she got another much quicker reply. She dried her hands and picked up her phone, eyes widening. _Holy shit, there's a photo attached! Oh my God..._ She steeled herself for whatever it might be that he was showing her and tapped the message.

 

S: Does it look like I like them?

 

Beneath the text was indeed a photo... Of his hand grasping his enormously hardened member. She choked upon inhaling sharply and fumbled with her phone, almost dropping it into her biscuit mix. The heat that had already begun gathering at her core threatened to start trickling down her thighs and she let out a soft moan as she stared shamelessly at the photo, blushing deeply and feeling rather proud that _she_ had been the one to arouse him so much.

 

After minutes of gawking and nearly sprinting to the bathroom to clean up, she replied:

 

L: Mission accomplished on ruining me, btw...

 

She went back to the kitchen to finish cooking and finally sat down in front of the tv to eat when he replied again:

 

S: You have no idea, sweetheart.

 

She stopped chewing her biscuit to concentrate harder on keeping her mind out of the gutter so she could avoid ruining her couch as she hadn't changed back into normal clothing yet. This was proving to be more difficult the more she tried.

 

Minutes after scarfing down her food, she opened up the photo causing all the fuss, traipsed into the bathroom and started a bubble bath. If he was gonna get off tonight, then so was she.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a surprise ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness guys, brace yourselves! Hopefully you weren't expecting this so soon ;D not much of a chapter summary, I know. But I literally just pulled this chapter out of my ass and slapped it together so enjoy!

 

 

 

 

The next few days whizzed by in a blur, leaving an utterly exhausted Laryn in their wake. A recent cluster of tornadoes in the neighboring states had her doing some light traveling to assess the aftermath, as her job required of her since she worked as a field adjuster for one of the most well-known insurance companies in the nation. She was glad to have something to occupy her tome, hiwever, because she might just sit at home and whine if she didn't have something to do.

 

It was now Friday and Sebastian was scheduled to return the following morning. Laryn returned from assessing weather damage in Pennsylvania and Maryland and headed straight to her office to type up her findings. She made it halfway through her first report when there was a knock at her door. Puzzled, she stood back up  and padded into the living room to open the door, disregarding the peephole since it was daytime. She swung the door open to find no one there. "Seriously?" she thought out loud as she took a couple steps outside the door to peer down the hallway. Now thoroughly annoyed, she backed up toward the open doorway when something caught her foot. The sound of crinkling cellophane echoed through the empty hallway as she bent down to retrieve the bouquet of purple lilies that lay on her doorstep.

 

"I had a feeling you liked purple."

 

She almost got whiplash from spinning around so quickly to find Sebastian leaning against the wall, grinning smugly and looking jetlagged. She squealed and pounced into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him deeply. She came up for air and pressed her forehead to his. "But you're not supposed to be back til tomorrow," she panted against his now kiss-swollen lips as she linked her fingers behind his head.

 

"We finished ahead of schedule so I came home early. Besides," he began walking them into her apartment and kicked the door shut behind them, "I wasn't gonna miss my girl's birthday."

 

_My girl._

 

She tossed the bouquet onto the table just as he dropped her rather unceremoniously on the couch and shed his jacket, gazing down at her with hunger in his eyes. His heated stare caused her to squirm and bite her lip. "You must be tired," she choked out as he kicked his shoes off and began unbuttoning his shirt, never taking his darkened eyes away from her.

 

He shrugged weakly as he undid the last button and threw the shirt onto the floor. "I was far more tired of not being here with you." He then descended upon her, pushing her down by her shoulder to laying on her back as he straddled her and smashed his lips onto hers as if she would disappear at any moment. She moaned softly, giving him wordless permission to deepen the kiss and swallowed all of her little noises as their hands explored each other. She felt his fingertips play around the hem of her button-up and he broke their kiss to work on the buttons, quickly becoming irritated.

 

"Do you like this shirt?" he asked. When all she did was blink, he all but _ripped_ the shirt in half, buttons flying everywhere and causing her to gasp and buck her hips when one of his hands glided up to palm her bra-covered breast and the other curled around her hip and gripped it, causing her shirt to ride up a little.

 

_His girl._

 

She sprang into action and pushed him up and backwards into the arm of the couch so she could straddle him and fully drink in the sight of him: disheveled and flushed, breathing heavily with a light sheen of sweat coating his rippling muscles, hooded eyes and those perfect lips parted slightly. She ran her hands up his chest and neck to tangle her fingers in his hair and bring leaned down to where her lips hovered just over his, teasing him and causing him to chase her as she pulled away slightly. "So I'm your girl, huh, Stan?" she drawled, taking his bottom lip between her teeth and pulling lightly, drawing a low groan from the back of his throat.

 

"Absolutely," he breathed huskily as his hands found their way to the hooks of her bra, undoing them with just a flick of his wrist and letting the undergarment slide down her arms. "You're all mine, sweetheart, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

 

She grinned madly and lurched forward, taking his lips again in a searing kiss as his hands began roaming again. She pressed her hips into his, pulling a moan from him as he yanked her skirt up to her waist and squeezed her round ass. Her hands trailed from his hair to his shoulders and she felt how tense he was there. _He must be sore..._ This gave her an idea.

 

She tore herself away from him and leapt from the couch to make her way to the jacuzzi tub in the master bath, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he took the hint. He hadn't left the couch yet, but jumped up when she winked at him.

 

She ran the rest of the way and turned the hot water on, shimmying out of her skirt just before he rounded the corner to her room and stopped in the doorway, eyes wide and raking over her from head to toe. She left her black panties on for two reasons, one of them being that she had made them herself by ironing a big red star patch onto the rear, tutning them into Winter Soldier-themed undies. She knew he had seen them already since she had her back turned as she removed her skirt, and she could tell by the way he fucking _MURDER STRUTTED_ through the room to where she was standing almost completely exposed to him.

 

"What are you doing?" he growled as he stopped just shy of touching her. They could feel the heat of desire radiating off each other.

 

"You felt a little tense, so I thought you might like a hot shower," she said coyly as his hands went to her hips and whipped her around so he could get a better look at her cheeky panties, letting out a sexy chuckle upon seeing the red star and wrapping himself around her to trail his hands down over her breasts to her flat stomach before turning her to face him once more.

 

"I knew you were sweet, but I wasn't expecting this," he purred into the shell of her ear, taking her earlobe between his teeth and lightly nibbling before planting a trail of wet kisses down her neck.

 

"Me neither," she breathed just before he advanced his torture trail down her chest until he reached a nipple, grazing over it with his teeth before taking the already hardened bud into his mouth completely and making her moan loudly as she fisted her hands in his delightfully messy hair. He switched to her other nipple to pay it the same attention before kneeling down and slowly dragging her panties down her legs, revealing... The hidden tattoo that she mentioned only their second day of acquaintance: a small circle on that tender but of flesh joining her leg to her pelvis, filled with half of Captain America's shield joined with half of the Winter Soldier's shoulder plates and red star. Swelling with pride, he kissed the tattoo tenderly and then bit it, making Laryn yelp in surprise.

 

He stood up before her and cupped her face, studying every tiny detail from the small brown spot in her left eye to the beauty mark on her chin, and smiled. "You're so beautiful," he said, almost too softly for her to hear, and kissed her once more before backing her into the bathroom toward the tub. He let her go only to remove his pants and sinfully fitted boxer briefs and step into the tub, offering his hand for her to step in with ease along with him.

 

Laryn thought she had seen the most beautiful sights when she traveled to Europe during her senior year... She was mistaken. The sight before her now: hot water cascading down over Sebastian as he gazed down at her with so much awe and pure desire that her body didn't know whether to faint or send all the blood rushing to her already wet core, this crushed _everything_ else she had laid eyes upon. At least until her glasses fogged up, causing them both to laugh. He plucked them from her face and set them on the shelf unit next to the tub before kissing her with so much passion that her knees wobbled, forcing her to latch onto him for fear of slipping.

 

"Don't worry doll, I wouldn't drop you," he purred into her neck as he brushed hair from her face and kissed her once more before sinking down to his knees in front of her, leaving another burning trail of kisses in his wake. She squirmed and sent one of her hands flying wildly into his hair as his lips moved further and further down, eventually tossing her leg over his shoulder and beginning yet another trail up her inner thigh, nipping and licking a slow but precise beeline to where she needed him the most. Then he stopped. She looked down to find him peering up at her, bottom lip between his teeth. "Remember a few days ago when I said I was gonna ruin you?" She couldn't form a single coherent thought, he looked so utterly sexy down there between her thighs, so she simply nodded. He grinned like a mad man, eyes darkening. "Hold on to something."

 

And suddenly, every other sexual encounter that she could recall became invalid. His mouth descended upon her throbbing core so ravenously that she damn near toppled over right then and there, had Sebastian not been holding her steady against the shower wall. She threw her head back and nearly screamed, she had never felt such pleasure in her life.

 

She finally gathered the nerve to look down at him again through her haze and found his deep cobalt gaze and he fucking _smirked_ against her. She pinched her eyes shut and tossed her head back again, hitting her head on the tile but pain be damned, his mouth felt so exquisite. She suddenly felt his hand softly gliding up her leg, over her thigh and right under his tongue as he slid two fingers expertly into her while he focused his mouth on her swollen bundle of nerves and she saw stars as she surprised herself with the sounds that emitted from deep within her. Her thighs began to quake as she clenched and contracted around his fingers, no doubt reaching her climax as she bellowed his name for the entire floor to hear. She nearly collapsed in a heap before Sebastian shot up and caught her just as she went limp.

 

He eased her down to the floor of the tub and into his lap, brushing hair from her face and kissing her softly as she tried to catch her breath and enjoyed the soothing warm water still washing over her. She didn't know how long they'd sat there clinging to each other, but it felt like an eternity before he finally asked, "Can you stand?"

 

"Excellent question," she mumbled with a stupid grin plastered on her face, making him chuckle. He stood and climbed out of the tub to grab a towel and turned the water off before helping her stand and wrapping her up. She stepped out on wobbly legs and wrang her hair out over the tub before going out into her room and collapsing on her bed, still stark naked wrapped in a towel that wasn't quite big enough. Seb came in after her and crawled up the length of the bed on top of her, resting on his elbow and letting his free hand glide down her body.

 

"I think it's fair to assume that you've successfully ruined me for any other man ever," Laryn quipped, trailing her fingertips up his arms and over his broad shoulders.

 

He smirked knowingly and kissed her forehead, then her cheek. "Oh we're just getting started, sweetheart." He planted a kiss to her other cheek before moving to her lips, thus beginning another battle of the tongues as he used his knee to spread her thighs and rub his throbbing length against her center, already wet with anticipation.

 

As he reached down to position himself directly at her entrance, he looked down at her with caution in his eyes. "You ready, doll?" he asked almost shakily, not wanting to hurt her. She nodded vigorously and bit her lip, gripping his biceps for stability.  He exhaled and waited a few seconds, as if counting down to something, and pushed into her slowly. She gasped harshly at the sudden intrusion and he stilled himself to allow her time to adjust before she took him completely down to the hilt. She squirmed underneath him to get some sort of friction and he obliged by pulling almost completely out and snapping his hips forward sharply. They moaned in unison as he began a steady rhythm that made her bed groan embarrassingly but she didn't give two shits, her entire world was being altered by the man she always wanted but thought she would never have. He leaned down and caught her lips mid-moan in a searing kiss that could boil butter as she dragged her nails up his arms and over his shoulders, tangling one hand in his hair and making noises that a porn star would be ashamed of. Once she began bucking her hips to meet his thrusts, he grabbed her leg and slung it high over his hip, adjusting the angle of entry and hitting her g-spot. Laryn lost her damn mind when he made this adjustment, digging her nails into his shoulders and moaning louder than she ever had before. She reached above her head and deathgripped the headboard for leverage and bucked her hips harder and he leaned down to capture a hardened nipple in his warm mouth and nipped at it, causing her to pull on his hair and make him moan her name.

 

"God look at you doll," he slurred once he released her nipple and gazed upon her as she went wild beneath him. "You're so fucking perfect and gorgeous and--" his speech broke off into a shaky moan as he felt her clench around him and he came with a cry of her name, causing her to reach her second undoing that day as she went hurtling over the edge right after him.

 

He collapsed face-first into the pillow next to Laryn's, breathing unevenly as he turned on his side to watch Laryn come out of her euphoric daze. After finally catching her breath, she turned to face him and they couldn't help but smile at each other. She moved over to nuzzle herself into his chest and wrapped herself around him, trailing her fingertips across his back and peppering tender kisses around his collarbone. He buried his face in her still wet hair and ran his hands up and down her back soothingly, almost lulling her to sleep. _How did I get this lucky?_

 

"You alright?" she heard him ask softly, still running his hands across her skin and kissing into her hair.

 

"Is that a serious question?" she mumbled into his chest, nipping at his nipple and making him jump. "That was the best sex I've ever had, and now I'm about to have the best nap ever." She held him a little tighter, afraid this was all a wonderful dream. "Don't go."

 

He chuckled and reached down to pull her blanket over them, looking at her beautiful face one more time before letting his eyes close. "I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart." Laryn curled up into his side and was wrapped safely in his arms, they both didn't waste any time drifting off to  sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebby cooks for Laryn and takes her on an adventure :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD I'M SO SORRY YOU GUYS!!! I had no intention of keeping you waiting this long but I had been suffering a serious case of writers block D: but an idea came to me today and I just went with it and I hope y'all like it! I'll try to be quicker with the updates from now on, I've just had a lot going on and not enough ideas. Enjoy!

The smell of eggs wafted into the bedroom and tickled Laryn's olfactory sense, stirring her from sleep. She turned over to glance at her bedside clock, which read 8:43pm. _Still Friday._ She laid there for a minute replaying the events that had previously taken place and grinned widely. The butterflies were still there and suddenly she had to suppress a soft moan when the replay threatened to get her worked up again. Then the smell of eggs returned along with... Is that sausage? She slid out of bed and rummaged through her dresser for panties and an oversized sleep shirt, pulling the items on as she exited the bedroom.

 

The familiar sizzle of cooking food grew louder as she tiptoed into the kitchen. The sight before her nearly had her knees buckling: Sebastian in all his chiseled glory, wearing nothing but a pair of deliciously tight boxer briefs, cooking breakfast for dinner. _I don't remember mentioning my love for breakfast at dinnertime..._

 

Smile never faltering, she snuck up behind him and raked her nails up his rippling back ever so softly, curling her hands around his ribcage and over his chest and causing him to shiver. "Nothing sexier than a beautiful man who can cook," she mumbled into his shoulder blade, wishing she was tall enough to reach his ear without climbing him like a tree.

 

He placed the spatula he was holding onto the stovetop and spun around to face her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him. "I hope you don't mind... Figured you might be hungry," he purred, leaning down to kiss her cheek, forehead, nose, chin, stopping just before their lips touched and pulling away, making her chase after his plump lips.

 

"Tease," she giggled, swatting his chest playfully and reaching around his neck to pull him down to taste his lips. They explored each other's mouths at a slow, languid pace before she broke away. "Don't burn the food," she breathed against his mouth and backed up to the counter behind her, laughing as he had to adjust himself before going back to playing chef. "So," she began, finding a loose string at the hem of her shirt to fiddle with, "you got any plans tonight, or are you hanging out?"

 

"You kickin' me out?" he asked with a smirk as he filled two plates with eggs and sausage and took them to the dining table. Laryn followed close behind and admired his ass, controlling the urge to grab it.

 

Laryn scoffed. "Why on God's green earth would I do a thing like that?"

 

Seb chuckled through a mouthful of eggs. "I'm all yours, doll. Least until tomorrow. I have top secret stuff I gotta go do in the morning."

 

"Oooh, top secret, huh? I gotta know now." Laryn absentmindedly swatted Bucky the cat away from her plate when he silently hopped up onto the table.

 

"I can't ruin the surprise now, can I?" Seb smirked after taking a generous bite of eggs. Laryn gathered from the look in his dreamy gray-blue eyes that the "surprise" had something to do with her birthday and she felt the swarm of tummy butterflies flutter into a frenzy. She couldn't hide her giddiness as she silently ate her breakfast/dinner, which didn't go unnoticed by Sebastian. He studied every last little detail about her. Her different smiles. The way her pupils dilated when she looked at him. Her adorable habit of fiddling with her monroe piercing. He finished his food and leaned back in his seat. "So," he began, "you up for an adventure?"

 

Laryn quirked an eyebrow as she finished eating. "I'm up for just about anything on a Friday night," she grinned, wondering what he was up to.

 

He stood and took their plates to the dishwasher. "Great. There's something I want to show you. Why don't you dress for warmth and I'll be back in ten?"

 

Laryn hopped out of her chair and practically bounced on her toes as she followed him to the bedroom to gather his clothes and then to the front door. He cupped her face and kissed her oh so softly. "I'll be right back." He winked and took off to his apartment.

 

Laryn's butterflies seemed to never stop at this point. She hurried back to her room and skype called Lizzie to fill her in on the day's events as she got dressed.

 

"GIRL!" Lizzie practically screamed through the phone. "You're living every woman's fantasy!"

 

"I know! I never expected this when I moved here," Laryn replied dreamily, zoning out for a second. "So he's definitely up to something. He said he has top secret stuff to do tomorrow and that it's a surprise."

 

"Oh my gosh, he's planning something big for your birthday!"

 

"I can only imagine what it is, I'm sure he has a lot of awesome connections," Laryn wondered as she squeezed herself into her favorite pair of black skinny jeans and yanked a purple sweater over her head.

 

"Promise me you'll call me and tell me everything after!"

 

That knock at the front door that Laryn was waiting for sounded just as she finished her eye makeup. "He's back! I'll call you later." She sprinted to the door, slipping on the hardwood floor in her socks and colliding with the door before opening it and grinning sheepishly at Sebastian, who was straining to contain his sympathetic laughter.

 

"Your clumsiness is adorable," he stated softly as he leaned down and planted a kiss behind her ear.

 

"Yeah yeah," she waved him off with a smile as she grabbed her boots from the entryway and sat down on the couch to pull them on. "Let me grab my hat and I'll be good to go."

 

As she went back to her room to rummage for her hat, Seb leaned against the door and allowed Leeloo to say hello by nearly knocking him down. "Alright," Laryn called as she entered the room wearing a Jack Skellington beanie and toting her purse, "let's have an adventure." Seb took her hand after they exited her apartment and locked the door, and led her out to the street and to the subway.

 

*****************************************

 

Sebastian and Laryn stepped off the train and took to the surface in an area that Laryn was unfamiliar with. Of course, that wasn't saying much since she had only been living in New York for a couple weeks by this time. It was a freezing yet beautiful night. Laryn shivered as the breeze nipped at her nose and cheeks. She began to chastise herself for not grabbing a scarf when Sebastian snaked his arm around her and pulled her in to his side. She looked sideways to find him smiling down at her.

 

"So where are we going?" Laryn pressed, having not yet been given any details.

 

"You'll see," he replied, pressing a long kiss to her temple. He steered her around a corner and the smell of ocean water became more pungent. They walked three or four houses down until he stopped in front of a house. "Here it is," he gestured to the creepy looking house surrounded by a white picket fence. Laryn took a few steps up the driveway to get a glimpse of the address. 112 Ocean Avenue. She spun on her heel to face Seb, eyes as wide as saucers.

 

"The Amityville house?!" She grinned widely and turned back to take a closer look, Sebastian close behind her. Then she hesitated. "Does anyone live here?" she asked, glancing sideways and taking his hand.

 

He shook his head. "It's been empty for years. No one wants to buy it."

 

Laryn scoffed. "Hell, I'd buy it."

 

"Do you want to go inside?"

 

Laryn whipped her head to the side so hard she almost pulled a muscle. Now she was terrified. She had always wanted to see the house that was subject of so many horrific stories, but she never considered going inside, especially at night. She sank into Seb's side as if attempting to fuse herself to him. "Can we... I mean, is there even a way in? Wouldn't it be locked?"

 

He shrugged, throwing her a lopsided smirk. "Only one way to find out." He moved to wak toward the front porch, but Laryn didn't move. She looked between him and the house with wild eyes and he chuckled, pulling her to him and giving her a reassuring embrace. "Come on, you think I'd let anything happen to you? It's just a house. I bet we don't even find anything."

 

She nodded slowly, allowing him to lead her up the steps to the front door. It's locked, naturally. They walk around the side to the back door, which is also locked. They glanced around the corner of the house at the cellar doors, which were chained shut. "Well, shit," Seb mumbled, disappointed.

 

Laryn heaved a huge sigh of relief and laughed. "Honestly I wasn't too excited about the idea of going in there," she admitted as they walked around the back yard.

 

"Why not? I thought you were always up for an adventure."

 

She sighed again, contemplating whether or not to take the conversation there. She gazed out over the water, the light from the full moon shimmering and dancing across it. She took Seb's hand and walked toward the dock. Once she made sure it was sturdy, she went to the edge and sat down, pulling out a few sample liquor bottles along with a can of sprite she stashed in her purse as Seb took a seat next to her. He could see she was perplexed by something but chose to wait for her. She took a deep breath and handed him a tiny bottle of tequila. "I'm gonna tell you something, but you have to promise me that you won't think I'm crazy."

 

"I doubt you'd give me that impression, doll," he said, cracking open the bottle and pulling her closer to his side.

 

"What is your opinion of the paranormal... Ghosts and stuff."

 

Seb turned his gaze to the water, appearing to be in deep thought about what his answer will be. He took a sip from his miniature tequila and sat up straight as if he was about to give a speech. "I think some things happen that can't be explained. And sometimes souls get lost. I haven't had any experiences with ghosts, but I don't doubt some of the stories I've heard."

 

It was as if an enormous weight was lifted off Laryn's shoulders. Maybe he wouldn't think her a stark raving lunatic or an unmedicated schizo. She plucked the mini horchata bottle from her pile of liquor laid out on the dock and downed it in one gulp before turning her body toward him. She had his full attention. "I have... A gift, I guess? I think of it more as a curse, really... Clairvoyance runs in my family. I have deja vu every day. I've had dreams that have come true. I've..." She paused to gauge his reaction, but he seemed entirely interested and showed no signs of judgment. "I've seen things I can't explain... Felt things. I swear, sometimes it's like my life came right out of an episode of Supernatural."

 

"What have you seen?" he asked, his demeanor and tone completely genuine.

 

"This is the most memorable because it scared me more than any of the other experiences I've had." She picked up another tiny bottle and tossed it back, not paying attention to what it was and therefore nearly wretching at the awful taste of dry gin. She quickly opened the soda can to wash the taste away before she continued. "One night a couple years ago, I was getting ready for bed. I brushed my teeth and felt hot, so I went to check the thermostat. When I turned into the hallway and flipped the bathroom light off, I ran into something... It was like I collided with a person, HARD... But there was no one there. I felt a strong energy, the air around me got cold, and my hair stood on end. My ears began to ring. But all I could see was a tall, dark shadowy figure. It was darker than the rest of the darkness."

 

She didn't realize until she finished her story that she had been staring at the moonlight on the water. She looked at Sebastian, who looked like he had seen a ghost. "My God..." he breathed, grabbing another bottle. "That would have terrified me. What did you do?"

 

She nearly fell off the dock, she couldn't believe he wasn't judging her. She let out a breathy, choked laugh. "I just ran to my room, got into bed and kept my eyes shut." She paused to take a sip of her soda and wonder how in the world she became so lucky to have someone as understanding as Sebastian to confide in. "I was completely sober, by the way... That night. So I didn't hallucinate or anything. And I swear I'm not crazy. Bipolar, yes. Absentminded, absolutely. But I--"

 

Sebastian cut her off with a kiss that would melt the coldest of hearts, which she reciprocated without hesitation. He only pulled away when he brushed his fingertips across the back of her neck, causing her to shiver. They shared a chuckle and he took her hands in his. "I don't think you're crazy, sweetheart." He was about to kiss her again when a noisy abrupt crash came from behind them, making them both jump. They looked at the house behind them to find the back door wide open, having been flung open and slammed against the outer wall. Taking note of the fact that it wasn't windy enough to throw the door open, nor were there any people living in the house, they both became equally terrified.

 

"You wanna get the fuck outta here?" Seb asked with a shaky voice, moving to stand without waiting for Laryn's reply.

 

"Please!" she squeaked, taking his offered hand and picking up her purse. They sprinted through the yard and down the driveway, running all the way to the street corner before stopping. Now feeling the effects of the alcohol, they looked at each other and exploded with laughter.

 

"Did that really just happen?" Laryn gasped as she clutched at her sides.

 

"Well, now I've had a paranormal experience," Sebastian declared.

 

"That tends to happen around me, you might actually wanna rethink spending so much time with me," she said jokingly.

 

He scoffed and wrapped his arm around her to lead her back to the subway. "Not a chance, doll."

 

During the train ride home, she told him some of her other ghostly experiences and he listened like a child being told scary stories around a campfire out in the woods.

 

"Have you ever considered going ghost hunting with some of that fancy equipment?" he asked.

 

"I have. I was actually supposed to meet up with a team several years ago to check out this ghost town outside of Dallas, but they never showed up. I was pretty disappointed... As frightening as my experiences have been, the paranormal fascinates me."

 

"It's good that you approach the subject with bravery after what you've seen." He placed his hand over hers, lacing their fingers together and flashing her that award-winning smile. "I admire that trait."

 

Laryn's heart swelled like the Grinch's heart did when he finally found his appreciation for Christmas. "Well, it's nice to finally have someone outside of my family to talk to about these things without all the judgment and diagnosing." She leaned into his chest and breathed in his scent for added comfort. Within minutes, they reached their stop and exited the train, making their way back to their apartment building. He made sure to walk her to her door and help her inside. She sighed contentedly when her pets greeted her as she tore off her coat, hat and boots. She smiled when Seb wrapped himself around her from behind and leaned into his caresses.

 

"Be sure you're free tomorrow night at 7pm sharp," he breathed against the shell of her ear, sending the good kind of chills down her spine. She nodded and frowned when he let her go. She walked him to the door and kissed him reverently, allowing her hands to run up his chest, around his neck and into his soft hair. She never wanted it to end, but he eventually pulled away to take one last long look into her bright green eyes before going back to his own apartment. "Goodnight, Laryn," he whispered, smiling as he backed away and headed home. Laryn couldn't bring herself to go inside until he was out of sight, so she leaned back against the doorframe and watched him. Just the way he walked made her weak at the knees, even if he was walking away; but she knew it was only temporary. He would be back.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebby goes all out for Laryn's birthday and things happen :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! :) *waves* Oh my goodness I hope y'all are prepared for this one. It's a little longer than usual and GOOD THINGS HAPPEN! Enjoy! <3

__

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laryn stood in front of the mirror at a dress boutique around the corner from her apartment, turning every which way and deciding the outfit she was so painstakingly studying was not the right one. She had a feeling Sebastian was going big for her birthday, so naturally she had to buy a new dress for the occasion. With a heavy sigh, she stepped off the pedestal and removed the flowing black dress and picked up the much shorter gold tube dress that she found hiding on the clearance rack.

 

"Got a hot date tonight, miss?" the sales associate asked as she appeared out of nowhere to pluck the discarded black dress from the return rack.

 

"You could say that," Laryn replied dreamily as she shimmied into the skin-tight golden dress. Of course, to her and her enormous breasts and sizeable rear, it felt more like squeezing into a leg warmer for infants.

 

"Well, whoever your date is will aurely get the wind knocked out of them by that dress, but with how cold it is, might I suggest a blazer to match?"

 

"That would be lovely, thank you." Laryn grinned amost maniacally as she observed how the tube dress fit to her curves so seductively. It was a very short piece, showing massive amounts of cleavage and ending just underneath her ass, her legs going for days even before slipping into her black stilettos. _Yeah, he's going to love it._

 

The sales associate returned with a short black blazer, just enough to keep her arms warm. "This is perfect, I'll take it all," Laryn stated as she began to change back into her jeans and sweater. Upon paying for her chosen items, she stopped at the nearest beer and wine shop to grab a bottle of her favorite moscato and headed home.

 

Bounding up the stairs, she cursed herself for sleeping most of the day. She screeched to a halt when she found a beautiful purple orchid plant and card sitting on her doorstep. Smiling ear to ear, she scooped up the plant and card and let herself into her apartment. She set the plant on the end table by the door and opened the card; it was an adorable card with a cat on the front that resembled Bucky the cat, with a handwritten note inside:

 

_Roses are red,_

_Orchids are purple_

_I suck at rhyming..._

_Happy birthday!_

 

_I know I said 7 last night, but come by my place at 6. I have something special for you._

 

_Yours,_

_SS_

 

She couldn't contain the high-pitched squeal that emitted from her throat as she bounced around the living room like a 5 year old on Christmas. That is, until she glanced up at the giant clock: 5:53. SHIT! _Seriously, Laryn?!_

 

She snatched up the bag containing her outfit and sprinted to her room, almost colliding with the wall before she could whip around the corner into her room. She threw on her outfit, including a sexy pair of fishnet stockings she thought she'd never wear, at lightning speed, and quickly applied a dark, sultry eye makeup that she knew would pull the entire ensemble together. She slid into her black pumps, fed the cat and dog, grabbed her purse and clicked down the hallway, being extra careful not to break an ankle.

 

She approached his front door to knock, but it slowly swung open before she had the chance and there was Sebastian, looking exceptionally sharp for it just being her birthday; he donned a sinfully tight pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black overcoat. _God,_ he looked so good in black.

 

"Hey, you made it!" he stated, his gaze growing dark as he drank in her birthday outfit and pulled his lip between his teeth. "You know, doll," he began lowly, stepping out and closing the door behind him, "wearing something like _that_ ," he took her by her waist and turned them around, backing her into the door to his apartment, "might get you into a world of trouble," he whispered the rest of his statement as his teeth grazed her ear.

 

"Well, maybe I've been a bad girl," she replied coyly, grabbing the waistband of his pants and tugging so his hips pressed into hers, then hooking her leg over his hip. He moaned softly and smashed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply as he ran his hand up the length of her leg and grabbed her ass. She reached up and cradled his face, angling it to deepen the kiss before he grasped her wrists lightly and pulled away.

 

"Let's not get too carried away," he said hoarsely, "at least not yet. I have something to show you," he winked before pushing his door open and allowing her entry.

 

It was dark. Pitch black, actually. So dark that she couldn't see a damn thing no matter how close the lenses of her glasses were to her eyeballs.

 

"Sweetie, you know I'm blind, right?" she quipped into the darkness, reaching behind her to (hopefully) grasp his hand.

 

"Here," he took her hand and guided her into the living room.

 

"Why do you have all the lights off?" she asked, although she was beginning to put two and two together.

 

"Hold on doll," he let go of her hand. "Stay here." He took a few steps in some direction and flipped the lights on.

 

"SURPRISE!!"

 

"OH MY GOD!" Laryn damn near jumped out of her skin. So many people! Seb had thrown a surprise party just for her. She gasped and flung her hand up over her mouth as she looked around the room. The first people she spotted were her parents and sister, who she made a beeline for and nearly began bawling. Her two best friends, Lizzie and Jessica, were waiting next to her mom. Chris and Anthony were also there, both of whom gave her giant bear hugs. And pretty much the entire cast of the Captain America and Avengers movies.

 

Laryn whipped around to a smirking Sebastian with wide eyes and jaw dropped while everyone watched with anticipation. She moved across the floor to him so quickly one would think she wasn't a klutz in 5-inch heels, and upon reaching him threw her hands up to the sides of his face and kissed him, earning a room full of whoops and cheers that only grew louder when he wrapped his arms around her and dipped her low.

 

"How did you..." she stuttered as he brought her back up.

 

"I'm sneaky," he replied with a shiteating grin, planting a kiss to her temple.

 

"But my family, and my friends, how did you get in touch with them?"

 

"Who gives a shit, this party is awesome!" Jessica shouted over the noise as she and Lizzie approached the birthday girl and embraced her once more.

 

"Well, I guess introductions aren't really that necessary," Laryn remarked, narrowing her eyes playfully at Seb, who simply smiled and innocently batted his eyes.

 

"For me, maybe," he took her hand and led her to the somewhat large group of celebrities who were speaking amongst themselves. Literally the entire gang was present: Scarlett Johannson, Robert Downey Jr., Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olson, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, even Frank Grillo, and of course the stunning Chris Hemsworth. Laryn's legs suddenly decided to morph into jello and she needed to anchor herself onto Seb as he chuckled and held her steady.

 

As Laryn met all of the stars she'd idolized for years, Seb chatted with her parents and friends, who all seemed to appreciate his generous offer to fly them all out to New York to see Laryn. The evening went on swimmingly; they shared drinks and laughs, and Laryn cut and served the enormous chocolate cake Seb had made for her. She soon found friendship in both Scarlett and Elizabeth, who adored her, and Laryn thoroughly enjoyed herself until her outfit just became too much. She excused herself, slipped out of her pumps and set them by the door to the back patio before grabbing a blanket and stepping outside, pulling her cigarettes out of her purse. She lit one and sat on one of the rusty outdoor chairs, getting comfy.

 

"You mind it I bum one of those?"

 

Laryn looked up to find Evans closing the sliding door behind him. "Sure," she popped another cig from the pack and handed it to him along with a lighter.

 

He nodded as he took it and lit up, exhaling a long drag. "Getting claustrophobic in there?" he asked with a grin, wagging his thumb back to the party going on inside.

 

"A little," she replied sheepishly, looking down at her bare feet. "It's been a while since I've been to a party, and I've definitely never had that many important people in one place just for me."

 

Chris gave an understanding nod and took another drag. "I just don't get what he sees in me," Laryn continued. "I'm a nobody and he's... Him. Not that I'm complaining..."

 

Chris smiled knowingly. "You know he's in love with you, right?" He gave her a sideways glance, guaging her reaction.

 

His question deflated her completely to the point that she couldn't draw breath. She looked at him with saucer eyes and shook her head slowly. There's no way in hell he knows what he's talking about.

 

Chris chuckled. "You're kidding, right? Laryn, he's crazy about you. You're all he talks about! It's kind of annoying actually, he just won't shut the fuck up," he finished off his cig and stood up to flick the filter out into the street. "Just don't tell him I told you, he'd kill me." With a grin and a pat on her shoulder, he slid back through the patio door and left her to her thoughts.

 

All she could do to keep from totally losing her shit was watch the snow that began falling just before she stepped outside. She watched as the glistening flakes cascaded down from the heavens and blanketed the edge of the patio and the rooftops around her. She didn't even mind how numb her bare toes had gotten as they were slowly buried in the white fluff.

 

_Each snowflake is different, unique in its own way._

 

She reached out and caught a large flake in her palm and brought it to eye level, examining it as it shimmered in the dull light emitted from the nearest street lamp.

 

_I'm his snowflake..._

 

"Hey doll, you must be freezing," Sebastian said lowly, appearing out of nowhere. Laryn jumped and swiped away the single tear that slid down her cheek and hoped he didn't notice. She looked up at him and smiled, taking his offered hand as he sat in the chair next to her. "Sorry if this is a little overwhelming," he waved nonchalantly at the party still going on inside.

 

Laryn shook her head. "It's great. Really, I love it. I'm just enjoying the snow."

 

He nodded and looked down, noticing her toes turning a slight blue from the freezing cold. "Good God, doll, where are your shoes? Your toes are about to fall off," he picked her feet up and pulled her body towards him so he could place them in his lap, warming them with his hands.

 

"Sorry, I'm a hot-blooded Texan and I've been drinking," she stated with a wet smile. "The cold just isn't bothering me right now." That and you're in love with me and I don't know how to process it.

 

"Well before we leave, I want you to go change into something warmer. I don't want you to get sick. Please?" He looked at her with those damn puppy eyes that he knew she couldn't say no to and her resolve crumbled.

 

"Fine, Mom, I'll change," she quipped with a smile and a tongue wag that made Seb chuckle. "Where are we going?"

 

"That's for me to know and you to find out," he wagged his index finger at her with a smirk.

 

"You're killin' me, babe," she groaned as she stood up and gave him a quick peck on the lips before leading them inside.

 

She found her parents, who were starstruck and trying to hold a normal conversation with an amused Robert.

 

"Ah, she returns! Hey kid," Robert said, bringing Laryn in for a strong side-hug. "Lovely family you got here, we'll do lunch before they head home."

 

"Great!" Laryn choked out, still not quite used to being hugged by Tony Stark himself. As Robert made a beeline for more cake, Laryn turned to her parents. "So y'all are staying for a while?"

 

"We'll be here through Monday," her mom said dreamily, still staring at the back of Robert's head. "Steph brought Alice, she's back at the hotel with Bill. Alice begged to see you so we just couldn't leave her behind."

 

Laryn smiled, almost shedding a tear. She loved her precious little niece dearly and couldn't wait to see her.

 

"Well, we're all gonna head back to the hotel," her dad stated. "Sebastian mentioned something about taking you somewhere. He seems like a great guy, Laryn," he pulled her in for a tight hug and kissed his eldest daughter's hair. "We're proud of you."

 

"Thanks dad," Laryn said lovingly. She and Seb said their goodbyes to everyone and she hurried back to her apartment to change before they headed out to her surprise.

 

*****************************************

 

Seb and Laryn sat huddled together on the subway, just a few minutes away from their destination. It had been somewhat of a long ride--almost 2 hours. Thankfully they had made it onto the train just before 9, so it wasn't too terriby late yet. Laryn had fallen asleep, resting her head on Seb's chest with her arm splayed down across his stomach. He kept his arm wrapped tightly around her, his hand resting on her hip. He couldn't help but watch her; she was beautiful when she slept. Hell, she was beautiful all the time. Everything about her was stunning and quirky and adorable. He had fallen hard for her, and fast; but he wouldn't admit that to her. Not yet.

 

The train lurched as it began to slow to a stop, lightly jolting Laryn awake. She sat up and stretched as she peered out the window. "Where are we?" she mumbled, squinting into the dark and twisting her lip stud.

 

"You'll see," Seb replied in sing-song as he stood up and helped her to her feet. They stood at the doors waiting for them to slide apart, Laryn bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation. "Excited?" Seb chuckled as he sideways-glanced at her.

 

"Of course I am," she squeaked, "First the movie star party and now this? It has to be unnecessarily big." She jumped when the doors slid apart loudly, drawing a small laugh from Sebastian. He took her hand and stepped onto the platform with her just a step behind.

 

"You're so undeniably adorable," he purred, pulling her flush to him and cradled her face, running the pad of his thumb across her cheekbone as he watched the green in her eyes grow brighter--something he noticed about them the day he met her. She stood on her toes and pressed her cold lips to his as she ran her hands around his waist and up his back. How could she not love him? Yes, it had only been about a month since she even moved to New York, give or take a week; but she couldn't deny that he certainly treated her with more respect and care in that short time than any other man ever had, and she most definitely felt her heart flutter faster each time she simply thought of him, let alone when she was around him.

 

With a groan of disappointment, Seb tore away from Laryn's impeding mouth and let out a chuckle when her lips chased his. "Shall we?" he asked, offering his elbow.

 

"Let's," she chirped as she looped her arm through his and followed him up a staircase away from the platform toward the street. They walked for about a mile curled around one another until they reached a college. Laryn gave a questioning look to a smirking Sebastian.

 

"Just a few more minutes and we should be there, I promise," he grazed his fingers down her arm and found her hand, squeezing. She smiled and nodded. As they passed buildings and courtyards, all deserted, she began to focus on the dome they were walking toward. Thanking God that she wore sneakers, she took off without warning, sprinting at top speed. "Hey!" Sebastian called after her. She heard his footsteps quicken and she laughed into the night as she neared the dome.

 

As she came upon the building she realized it was an observatory. She stopped in her tracks, grinning up at the dome as wide as her cheeks would allow. She whipped around when Seb finally caught up with her, panting. "Jesus, you run fast," he gasped.

 

"Is this your surprise?" Laryn asked, gesturing behind her as she stepped toward him. "You brought me to see the stars...?"

 

"You mentioned the sky always being too bright at home, Dallas and New York," he smiled triumphantly. "I figured you'd appreciate it."

 

"Appreciate it," she lurched forward and buried her face in his chest. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me..." And I love you for it. She hoped he didn't hear her sniffle... "But shouldn't they be closed?" she stepped away and looked over her shoulder. "It has to be 10pm or something."

 

"I have some connections," he answered, brushing a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "Aside from one single staff member, we have the whole place to ourselves. Come on," he took her hand and led her up to the front door, which was opened by the aforementioned staffer.

 

They were escorted straight into the observatory with the gigantic telescope, complete with a bottle of wine and two glasses placed on a nearby table. They were shown all of the controls on how to properlu use the telescope and then left to their own devices. Laryn turned on her heel to Seb, who smiled down at her coyly. "You didn't have to do all this, you know," she muttered, suddenly bashful and turning bright red.

 

"Of course I did! You're my girl," he pulled her into his arms and kissed her behind her ear. "Alright," he released her and made his way to where the wine was sitting, "let's see if we can't get this thing to work."

 

They spent the next hour and a half zooming in rather closely on Gemini, Leo, Orion, Andromeda, anything they could find within reach; they drank the entire bottle of wine; and they each found it growing harder and harder not to confess their true feelings. For Sebastian, it was her adorably childlike giddiness and excitability. For Laryn, it was his overflowing desire to simply be a good, kindhearted and passionate person. Neither of them would admit how childish they felt for being so nervous around the other, but oh how they enjoyed each other immensely.

 

Soon enough it was almost midnight and Seb began to notice how provocatively Laryn would stick her ass out as she looked for more constellations in the sky. He chewed on his lip and made sure the observatory staffer wasn't present before he made his move. He sidled up behind her and grasped her hips, pushing his pelvis into her rear. "Do you know what you do to me?" he slurred over her shoulder.

 

Laryn grinned at his forwardness and swung around to face him. "Probably the same thing that you do to me," she replied, getting to work on the buttons of his shirt. "Wanna find out?"

 

He batted her hands away and kissed her furiously, undoing her pants so quickly it was like magic. He plucked her glasses from her face and carefully placed them out of the way on the counter before sliding his hands into the back of her jeans and down to cup her ass, bringing her pants down to her thighs. He broke their heated kiss long enough to yank her jeans the rest of the way off and was latching his mouth back onto her in no time flat, marking her pulse point as she undid the rest of his shirt buttons and shoved the offending garment away.

 

He began trekking down past her collarbone and groaned when he hit fabric, stopping only to yank her shirt over her head and causing her to squeak in surprise. He smirked, eyes dark and clouded with lust, and kissed her once more as he slid her bra straps down off her shoulders and tugged it further down, allowing her breasts to bounce free. She had finally gotten his pants undone and was having trouble with the zipper until he took over for her, removing them completely.

 

Now all that was left was his boxer briefs and her panties, which he damn near ripped from her body before sliding his underwear down and kicking them off to the side somewhere. He stepped forward and brushed her hair from her face while he took her in, admiring her milky skin and voluptuous curves as she ran her fingers over his gorgeous chest and abs and traced his Adonis belt down to where he needed her the most. He hissed as her nails grazed over his length and placed his hands under the curve of her ass, lifting her and placing her on the edge of the counter next to the telescope. Standing between her parted legs, he teased her entrance with the tip of his member, drawing from her and obscene moan before plunging in to the hilt. They moaned in unison as he stilled to allow her time to adjust before slowly setting a pace.

 

She gasped softly with each thrust, throwing her head back and crying out his name like music to his ears. He drank in the sight of her, head lolled back, eyes closed and lips parted; he loved to watch her come apart underneath him, and he would be content with being the one to do that to her for as long as she would have him. He took her wrist and pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily as they moaned into each other, his thrusts becoming more erratic. He reached in between them and found her hypersensitive bundle of nerves and began to circle it with the pad of his thumb, causing her to nearly scream and go tumbling over edge and take him with her. His thrusts grew slower as he rode out their orgasms and then collapsed in a heap onto the floor. She nearly slipped off the counter and giggled as she eased her wobbly self to the floor next to him and curled into his side.

 

As the haze of desire faded, Sebastian glanced down at her and started laughing. "What's so funny?" she quizzed, poking his ribs.

 

He shook his head. "I think this is the closest I've come to having sex in public," he sighed as he wrapped his arm around her and planted kisses to her hair and clammy forehead.

 

"Me too," she said dreamily, "but I guess everyone was right when they said love makes to you crazy sh--" She brought her thought process to a screeching halt when she realized what she had said. _Fuck_. She shot up and covered her face with her hands, cursing herself. _What the fuck are you afraid of? He feels the same way. Just tell him!_

 

"Sweetheart..." Seb mumbled into her ear as he massaged circles into her back.

 

She uncovered her face and turned to him, fighting back tears that threatened to cascade down her flushed cheeks. He frowned and got to his knees before her, cupping her face. "Please say it," he begged. He could see the pain and torment behind her shimmering emerald eyes. He could see the fear and heartache she was forced to endure at the hands of men who never deserved her to begin with. He bit his lip and pressed his forehead to hers. "You know I would never hurt you," he began, "I want to take care of you like no one else has. Can I tell you why?" She gulped and nodded. He smied; she already knew the answer, she just needed to hear him say the words. He inhaled deeply and rubbed her cheekbone with his thumb. "I love you," he whispered ever so softly, almost too softly for her to hear. She closed her eyes and the tears flowed. He swiped them all away and kissed her forehead, cheek, chin, lips. "I love you, Laryn," he repeated, running his fingers through her hair waiting for her to say something, anything. He chuckled nervously. "I don't think I've ever been so scared--"

 

"I love you, Sebastian."

 

He blinked slowly. There it was. The revelation, the epiphany, the miraculous magical words he had been waiting for. His lips curled up into that triumphant shiteating grin. "Say it again," he pleaded.

 

Her lips quivered as they parted and she uttered the words once more: "I love you." He smashed his lips to hers and sighed into her mouth. He'd wanted to tell her so much sooner, but he knew it had been much too soon. His heart ached for her to know how he truly felt and they finally knew. He smiled as his tongue parted her lips and explored her mouth with a newfound urgency. Nothing could take away this moment.

 

When he finally tore himself away from her, he laughed nervously and embraced her warmly as he laid them both down, yanking the blanket that Laryn hadn't realized was sitting in a nearby chair and unfolding it, tossing it over them. He glanced up at the clock on the wall to his right; 12:43am. He kissed her hair and smiled. "Happy birthday, doll."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn visits with her family and later gets an unexpected visitor...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! I hope you're enjoying the story so far as I'm thoroughly enjoying writing it for you :D get ready for a CLIFFHANGER!

__

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sebastian Stan was no doubt a man who did everything he could to maintain a life of humility and enjoyed simple pleasures. He liked his modest apartment; he would rather order delivery and eat in his underwear on the couch than put on a suit and go to a fancy restaurant; and nothing, absolutely nothing, felt better than waking up next to _her_.

 

His eyes fluttered open at the sensation of Laryn flopping over next to him and snaking her arm across his bare stomach, nuzzling into his side and sighing peacefully. He smiled warmly and planted a kiss into her bedhead hair, making a few attenpts at smoothing it down and giving up with a light chuckle.

 

"What's so funny?" Laryn mumbled into his skin.

 

"You might have worse bed hair than me, _prinţesă_ ," he observed, and from his vantage point it was pretty bad. He craned his neck to get a better look at her clock radio: 10:53am. "What time were we supposed to meet your family for lunch?"

 

"Noon," she sighed, almost snoring again.

 

He clicked his tongue. "Well you might wanna start getting ready, doll. You have about an hour."

 

" _SHIT_!" she shrieked as she launched herself from the bed, stark naked. Seb watched from the bed with his lip between his teeth as she bounced (literally) around the room, throwing on various articles of clothing and applying her makeup. She caught his eye in the mirror and turned around, putting her hands on her hips and raising a narrow eyebrow. "Aren't you going, too?"

 

He smirked. "Yeah, I was just enjoying the view." He stretched and climbed out of bed, found his clothes, and pulled them on as he slowly made his way to where she was still standing at the mirror, brushing her thick mess of hair and spritzing some perfume. He snaked his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. "You're beautiful," he whispered, teeth grazing her earlobe before he placed a kiss behind it.

 

Even the slightest of touches by him did _wonderful_ things to her body, and his words floated on the air like music as they did wonders for her self esteem and emotions that had been broken so many times before by lovers past. Her eyes fell shut as she leaned into him, seemingly trying to subconsciously melt into him while he laid a trail of kisses down her neck to her shoulder.

 

She turned to face him and looped her arms around his neck and got lost in his stormy blue-gray eyes, just like every other time she looked at him. "Are you even real?" she asked him, bringing a hand forward to cradle his cheek and trace his razor sharp jawline.

 

He chuckled and kissed the heel of her hand. "I think so." He leaned forward and slotted his lips over hers, kissing her lazily, savoring her taste and the touch of her pillow-soft lips and tongue. He suddenly found himself tightening his grip on her hips, causing her to moan softly into his mouth. He groaned and pulled away. "Sorry babygirl, but I need to go put on some fresh clothes and calm down before you end up naked again."

 

"Would that be such a bad thing?" she asked with a devilish grin, waggling her eyebrows coyly.

 

He laughed and bearhugged her. "I love you," he said before kissing her hair and reluctantly releasing her. "I'll be right back." And with that, he made his way to his apartment to change and freshen up.

 

While she waited, she made herself busy by feeding Bucky and Leeloo and straightening up a bit around the apartment. She _hated_ cleaning and would usually avoid doing so for as long as she could manage, but considering her rather high-profile relationship she didn't want to embarrass herself and look like a total slob.

 

About fifteen minutes passed before there was a knock at the door. Laryn hurried to open it and let Sebastian back in. "You know you don't have to knock," she pointed out.

 

"Yeah, well, I'm a polite guy," he smiled innocently. "You ready to go?" She nodded enthusiastically and they headed out to the street to hail a cab.

 

*****************************************

 

"Aha, there's the Tin Man and his Dorothy!" shouted an overly excited Robert Downey Jr. as Seb and Laryn climbed out of the taxi, Seb reaching over the front seat and handing the driver a few bills. They were just a few minutes past noon, but everyone had arrive safely and were all currently waiting outside. Robert gave Seb a firm pat on the back and a tight hug to Laryn as they approached the fancy-looking Italian restaurant.

 

"You really didn't have to do this," Laryn's mother stammered hesitantly, in awe of how beautiful and authentically Tuscan the inside of the restaurant looked. Real grapevines hung from the rafters and shelving units high on the walls, and the dim lighting made for a serene and quiet ambience.

 

"Of course I do," Robert answered Ruth without hesitation, "anyone that makes my Sebby here as happy as your daughter has is okay by me, and you lucky bunch just happen to be her family, so welcome to the wonderful world of rubbing shoulders with the stars."

 

They were all seated in a quiet area near the back, at the request of Robert, so they could all eat and chat in peace. Laryn's sister, Steph, sat in between her older sister and her husband, Bill, who held a sleeping Alys. Robert snagged the attention of a waiter, asking him to bring two bottles of wine while they decide on their food.

 

As they all casually sipped wine and looked over the menu, Seb got to know Laryn's family while Laryn played catchup with Steph. Her father explained in far too much boring detail that he worked in the welding equipment business, but Sebastian, bless his heart, listened patiently, genuinely interested.

 

Meanwhile, her mother dazzled Robert and his sweet tooth with elaborate descriptions of her baking skills and had his mouth watering by the time their food arrived.

 

"LALA!"

 

Uh oh.

 

Laryn looked to her right just in time to spot little Alys clamoring over Steph and headed for her. "Hey squirt!" she grinned down at the smiling toddler, who was now squirming into her lap and latching onto her like a spider.

 

"Miss you, Lala!" Alys squeaked into Laryn's shirt.

 

"I missed you too, squirt," Laryn replied, pecking the girl on the forehead and following Alys' line of sight to Seb, who was making faces at her. "Alys, this is my friend Seb, can you say hi?"

 

Sebastian smiled and offered his big hand for the little girl to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Alys," he said. Alys simply giggled and hid her face.

 

Laryn chuckled. "Uh oh, you might have two girlfriends now, babe."

 

Seb grinned and turned his attention back to his food as Steph distracted little Alys with some of her chicken.

 

Later, as everyone finished their meals, several of the restaurant staff lined up around the table, singing their birthday song to Laryn.

 

"Alright, who orchestrated that?!" Laryn groaned, doing her best to shrink out of sight while Seb laughed at her expense.

 

"Oh come on, I had to!" Seb said, rubbing circles into the back of her neck. "Besides, you get free dessert if it's your birthday." He waggled his eyebrows as he gestured to the decadent-looking piece of chocolate cheesecake one of the waiters  brought out and placed on the table in front of her.

 

"That looks amazing," Robert stated. "Can I get some of that as well?" he asked the nearest waiter. "Anyone else?"

 

As the table fell back into quiet conversation, Laryn dug her fork into her dessert and helped herself to an enormous bite, moaning her approval and savoring it. She was brought out of her food trance by Seb gliding the tip of his nose  up the side of her neck to her ear, placing a gentle kiss to her cheek and relishing the shiver he had caused her. She side-glanced at him, forked another bite of cheesecake and held it out for him to take, which he obliged.

 

"Aren't you two just the most adorable thing," Robert teased the couple across from him, bringing a deep blush to Laryn's normally rosy cheeks. Seb smiled and threw his arm around her waist, dragging her chair closer to his with his foot.

 

"So y'all are going home tomorrow?" Laryn asked her parents with a pout.

 

"We could only take one day off, which is tomorrow," her dad mumbled, not looking up from his phone.

 

"We take off around one, I think, so we dhould have time for breakfast or something," her mom chimed in.

 

Laryn nodded, glancing around the table at everyone, burning this moment into her memory. Little Alys yawned, calling for Steph to announce that she needed to nap and that they should head back to the hotel. Everyone seemed to be in agreement, ao Robert grabbed the check and they herded to the front while he paid.

 

Laryn's father pulled Sebastian aside as she chatted with Steph. She still noticed, though, and wondered what her dad had to say to him. She took note of the smile on her dad's face and the soft twinkle in Seb's eyes as they shook hands firmly, remembering back to her previous relationships and how her dad had hated every single one of them. _Well, things sure do change with time._

 

Laryn said her goodbyes to her family and thanked Robert for the lovely meal, who insisted that it was his pleasure, before climbing into a cab with Seb and waving one more time.

 

"So," Seb began as he pulled her into his side and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, "it's your birthday all day. What do you wanna do?"

 

As Laryn considered her options, she couldn't stifle the eye-watering yawn that overcame her. "Well, a nap sounds great," she giggled, carefully dabbing at the corner of her eye.

 

Seb chuckled and nodded. "Sounds good to me."

 

"Who said you were invited?" Laryn asked with a wicked grin, throwing him a side-glare and running her fingertips up his inner thigh suggestively.

 

"I don't need a verbal invitation, sweetheart," he purred into her ear, pausing to nip lightly at the lobe before continuing, "I know when you can't wait for me to get you out of your clothes." He reached down to cup her sex through her skinny jeans, applying delicious pressure in all the right places. Her head fell back against his shoulder and she bit her lip to stifle a moan, prompting him to hiss more unspeakable acts into her ear and torture her the entire way home.

***************************************

 

Laryn was roused from slumber by soft lips trailing down her neck and the mattress dipping on both sides of her from Sebastian carefully climbing on top of her. She simply tilted her head up and let him continue as she shoved the comforter down her body, exposing more skin to the chilly air in her bedroom.

 

She glanced over at the clock on her nightstand: nearly 6pm. Had they really slept for that long?

 

"Pressed for time, baby?" Sebastian drawled sarcastically, knowing very well that she had nowhere to be but writhing underneath him.

 

"Not at all," she sighed as his lips latched onto her right nipple, sucking gently while he massaged her left breast.

 

"Good," he said as he moved to pay the same attention to her other breast, "because I wouldn't have let you leave anyway."

 

She closed her eyes as she let herself get lost in pleasure, tangling her fingers in his sleep-messed hair and lightly tugging him upwards. She needed to taste him, and he had absolutely no qualms with kissing her. He loved the way she looked up at him, pupils blown wide with lust and completely wrecked already; and he had barely gotten started.

 

He kissed her hungrily, sighing as he licked into her mouth and swallowed all of her little noises while she raked his back with one hand and combed through his hair and scratched his scalp with the other. He tore his lips away momentarily to rip the comforter completely off of her and settled back down in between her parted legs, nearly combusting from heated skin on skin as she ground her pelvis up into his.

 

"God, you're fucking beautiful," he growled as he stared down at her, the woman he loved. He smirked and slid a hand down her body to the apex of her thighs, two fingers disappearing into her and he nearly moaned just from the sight of her laying there beneath him, head thrown back, eyes closed, lips parted and uttering the sweetest sounds just for him.

 

"Sebastian, _please_ ," she begged as she thrusted into his hand, walls twitching around his fingers. He couldn't possibly say no when she begged him. He removed his hand and lined himself up with her entrance, never breaking eye contact as he sheathed himself within her completely. They cried out in unison and he began a slow, steady pace. He would never grow tired of this, the feeling of filling her up and watching her come apart. As he began to thrust harder and faster, she parted her legs more and pulled her knees upward, allowing him to go deeper and she cried out her ecstasy to the ceiling. He leaned down and pressed wet kisses to her lips, neck, breasts, before taking her wrists and holding them above her head as his thrusts became more erratic.

 

He knew he wouldn't hold out much longer; he fell towards her, catching himself on his elbow as he rested his forehead against hers and combed his fingers through her hair. "I love you," he grunted shakily before kissing her roughly.

 

"I love you, too," she was barely able to utter her reply before he threw his head back and cried out her name as he tumbled over the edge, taking her with him as they rode out their combined orgasm. He collapsed on the bed next to her, chest heaving and shining with sweat.

 

"God damn, happy birthday to me," Laryn panted, trying to catch her breath.

 

Seb chuckled, turning towards her and tossing his arm over her ribcage. "I could use another nap after that."

 

Laryn nodded until her stomach made an almost terrifyingly loud grumble of disagreement. "I would say I'm all for napping some more, but I think my tummy has other ideas."

 

"Well in that case," Seb reluctantly climbed out of bed and found his boxer briefs and jeans, pulling them on, "what are you hungry for, _dragă mea_?"

 

"How about pizza and Netflix?"

 

Seb smiled wetly and in just a couple wide strides was in front of her, cupping her face and kissing her. "You're perfect," he murmured against her lips and stepped back to let her get off the bed.

 

"Why don't you go grab some sleep clothes and spend the night here?" she suggested, digging through her dresser and pulling out an oversized shirt and a pair of boy shorts.

 

"Alright, I'll be back in a few." She watched him leave and wandered into the living room to browse through Netflix for something to watch. Not two minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

 

She chuckled and went to answer. "That was f--" she stopped mid-sentence, her jaw dropping. Standing before her was her ex-husband, John, smiling weakly.

 

"H-hey," he stammered sheepishly.

 

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "How did you even find me?!"

 

He furrowed his brow, hurt by her venomous statement. "I want you to come home, Laryn..."

 

"You fucking cheated on me, John," she spat, stepping outside her door and letting it fall shut.

 

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

"You're sorry for burying your dick inside a woman who wasn't your wife," she said incredulously. "One of your exes, no less. The crazy one!"

 

"Please Laryn, I love you..." he pleaded, stepping toward her.

 

"I need you to leave. Now." She stepped back, wary of his movements.

 

"Come on, baby," he reached for her hand, but she yanked it away.

 

"Leave!"

 

That was when he lost all self control. "You ungrateful _bitch_!" He grabbed her upper arms and shoved her against the wall behind her, her skull bouncing loudly off the concrete, causing her to see stars. "I fucking loved you and this is how you repay me?!" His grip on her arms tightened to the point of bruising and her head pounded. She thought she felt a wet heat trickling down her neck, but she couldn't fight back. Her vision grew blurry and pinched her eyes shut, terrified.

 

As the noise around her became more and more distant, he suddenly let her go and she crumpled to the floor. She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard the sound of a fist meeting bone and cries of pain, shuffling of feet, and a thud. She tried to stand, but failed miserably.

 

"Oh my God, Laryn!" There was Sebastian's voice, but why did he sound so scared? "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

 

"Y-yeah, I think--" she almost stood up completely but stumbled back against the concrete wall and slid down. Now she was sure she was bleeding.

 

"Oh God... No, no, no!" She felt Sebastian cradle her and fumble in his pocket. "I need police and an ambulance, my girlfriend's been hurt..." She felt warm liquid droplets hit her face... Was he crying? She tried to listen as his voice slowly faded into nothing and she went completely limp.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn and Sebby recover from her ex's attack the night before and Seb is a total sweetie <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! I didn't wanna keep y'all waiting too long since I ended the last chapter with a cliffhanger so here you go :D enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris and Anthony hurried down the hospital hallway toward the emergency area where they found Sebastian sitting with Laryn's family, fidgeting impatiently. His red-rimmed eyes gave away his distraught state and worry for his girlfriend, and her parents had obviously been crying too.

 

Seb stood up as they approached him. "Hey man," Chris mumbled, clapping his friend on the back and furrowing his brow. "How is she?"

 

"Fractured skull and some bruising on her arms, doc said she lost a good bit of blood," Seb replied, swiping his face with his hand and exhaling heavily. "She's getting stapled now, but--"

 

"Relatives of Laryn Jones?" a scrubbed man called as he stepped into the waiting room. Mom and Dad shot up and hurried to him, followed by Sebastian. "Miss Jones is in recovery now, her injuries weren't life threatening so we don't see her having any sort of longterm damage."

 

"Can we see her?" her mother asked mid-sob.

 

"She's heavily sedated at the moment, but if you are immediate family you may go in," the doctor droned.

 

"Look, I don't want to cause any trouble, but Sebastian, this guy here," Laryn's dad began, gesturing to Seb, "he saved our daughter and I would appreciate it if he be allowed in to see her as well."

 

The doctor sighed, clearly having had a long day and not wanting to argue with the angry looking man before him. "Alright, just let her rest." He nodded to the group of concerned loved ones and strode back into emergency.

 

As Mom and Dad made their way to Laryn's room, Seb turned to his friends with a weary look and went to speak, but Anthony held up his hand. "We'll wait out here, you go be with her," he said. Seb smiled weakly and followed Laryn's parents down the long hallway.

 

It was almost eerily quiet in the hospital that night; undoubtedly more quiet than it would have been at her apartment, and this bothered Sebastian. He had a strong disdain for hospitals, like many others. Once he entered the room they placed her in, once he laid eyes on _her_... An enormous wave of relief washed over him. She looked peaceful, like Sleeping Beauty. He wanted to kiss her and wake her up. He felt somewhat out of place watching her parents rush to her side, despite being the one to ultimately save her from further harm.

 

He stood at the foot of the hospital bed for what felt like an eternity when her mother's voice ripped him from his thoughts.

 

"I don't know how to thank you for being there when you were," she said to him, having calmed down a little. "It could have been so much worse..."

 

He smiled at the woman, not really sure of what to say. She was right; that bastard could have killed her. He shook that thought out of his mind as her parents stood to leave. "Her sister is probably going crazy wondering what's going on," her father mumbled, wiping his face. "We should probably get going."

 

"I plan on staying here, and I'll get her home tomorrow," Seb assured them as he followed them to the door.

 

"Thank you again," her dad struggled to find the words. "We weren't thrilled about her moving so far away, but we see that she's in capable hands." He held out his hand and Seb took it, shaking firmly. "Please call us if anything changes." Seb nodded and waved them off.

 

He closed the door softly and shuffled back to the armchair next to the hospital bed, sinking down into it and putting his head in his hands.

 

***************************************

 

Laryn stirred in her bed. She thought she had heard voices... Multiple distorted voices... Was that her parents? No, they just left... She tried to open her eyes; too blurry to see, but the voices are gone. All the sound left in the room came from the machines surrounding her. Her heart jumped into her throat when she realized she wasn't at home but in a hospital bed. _What the fuck happened?!_

 

She tried to sit up as she scratched at the itchy medical tape surrounding the bandage on the back of her head. "Whoa, whoa, lay back down, girl," a voice to her right said as a hand lightly grasped her arm and pushed her back against the pillow. The voice sounded so far away, but she could tell it was Anthony. "Hey Stan... Seb! Chris, wake his ass up..."

 

She still couldn't see. "Wha--what's, where are my glasses?" she asked meekly, reaching to what she hoped was a side table to feel around for her glasses.

 

"Shh, relax, baby..." she knew that voice all too well. "Here," he placed her glasses on her face, her vision clearing immediately and tears beginning to flow as Sebastian came into focus. He blinked back tears and leaned down to kiss her forehead and brush away her tears. "You're okay, sweetheart."

 

"What happened?" she asked as she looked around the room and saw that Chris was there with Anthony, both men looking equally concerned.

 

"Your ex showed up and attacked you," Seb said softly, taking her hand in his and massaging her knuckles with his thumbs. "How are you feeling?"

 

"Like I've been hit by a fucking train," she mumbled, suddenly feeling the pain of having her skull cracked open on a concrete wall. "This headache definitely beats any migraine I've ever had." Seb squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips, placing kisses to her palm before holding it to his cheek. She smiled at him, then turned her attention to Chris and Anthony. "What are y'all doing here?"

 

"You scared us too, kid," Chris replied with a smile, bringing more tears to her eyes. She loved her new friends dearly, and she loved Sebastian even more as the memories came flooding back and she realized it had been him that saved her.

 

"Please tell me the cops have him..." she said warily, turning back to Seb.

 

He nodded. "I made sure he couldn't get away."

 

Obviously this wasn't the time to be having such thoughts, but she couldn't help it; the fact that he had beaten John to a pulp for her was incredibly arousing, even in her current state.

 

"Alright," Anthony began, "I've gotta get some sleep." Really, he just wanted to get out of that hospital room before Seb and Laryn started making out. He nudged Chris, who stood up after him. "Glad you're okay, girl. Seb'll take good care of you."

 

"If you guys need anything," Chris said as they approached the door.

 

"Thanks, guys," Seb called after them, not able to tear his gaze away from her.

 

As the door shut, Laryn heaved a sigh, wincing from the pulsating pain at the base of her skull. "This is not how I saw my birthday going," she quipped with a small chuckle.

 

"I'm so sorry I left you," Seb breathed, almost too softly for her to hear, as he ran his fingers through her hair.

 

"Please don't blame yourself, there's no way you could have known that he'd show up."

 

"I want you to move in with me," he said flatly, the seriousness evident in his steel-gray eyes.

 

Laryn's jaw dropped. "Sebastian..."

 

He shook his head. "I know what you're gonna say, and trust me, I've had plenty of time to think it over while your scalp was being stapled shut." She winced at his last comment. He saw the nervousness behind her eyes and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers and cupping her still-damp cheek. "I would just feel much better if you were with me, at my place. I feel terrible enough already, I don't want to imagine if this were to happen again and if I'm too late--"

 

"Seb, you can't possibly blame yourself--"

 

"But I can keep you a little safer." He smiled wetly and traced her bottom lip with his thumb. "Just sleep on it, okay?"

 

She nodded and leaned her face into his hand. "I love you," she whispered as she opened her arms, silently pleading to hold him. He obliged, although awkwardly due to her laying down and being stuck with tubes coming out of seemingly everywhere.

 

"I love you, sweetheart," he answered her, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear and giving her chills. He pulled away and sank back into the armchair.

 

"What about my pets?" Laryn asked apprehensively.

 

"Come on, doll, do you really think I'd make you part with your babies?" he cocked an eyebrow at her. "Besides, I like them, too. Of course they'd stay with us."

 

Laryn beamed at him, ignoring the pain she was in. "You really are the best." He blushed and suddenly found the hem of his t-shirt very interesting, which made Laryn giggle. "You're so adorable when you're bashful." He smiled and laid his head on the mattress next to her hip, stretching his arms over her and watching her intently. "Are you tired?" she asked, combing his crazy hair with her fingers. He grunted and shook his head, losing himself in her touch. "Will you stay here tonight?" She looked up at the clock on the wall: nearly midnight.

 

"Of course I will, _prinţesă_ ," he mumbled, taking her hand from his hair and kissing it. "And I'll carry you all the way home tomorrow, if I have to."

 

She chuckled. "My legs work fine, but since you're offering..." she smiled and winced when her chapped lip split. "Fuck..." She touched a finger to it and glared at the small amount of blood on the tip as she drew it away.

 

"Here," Seb fished around in his pocket and pulled out some chapstick, handing it to her. "Do you want some ice chips?"

 

"That would be great, thank you."

 

He nodded and headed for the door, stopping momentarily to shoot her a sexy wink. "I'll be back."

He hurried down the hallway, following the signs to the cafeteria and easily locating an ice machine. Upon returning to her private room, he found her curled up on her side, snoring lightly. Smiling down at her sleeping form, he set the cup of ice on the side table and made himself as comfortable as he could in the armchair, deciding upon attempting to sleep.

 

***************************************

 

"Honey, you really don't need to carry me," Laryn giggled as Sebastian cradled her bridal-style and attempted to fish his keys out of his pocket.

 

"Nonsense. I said I would, didn't I?" he replied, giving her a quick peck on the cheek as he located his keys and let thm into his apartment.

 

"So how long will I be held hostage?"

 

"Definitely until you're healed," he stated, setting her down on his enormous sectional and heading to the kitchen for a water bottle. "But also as long as you want."

 

Laryn grinned and stared at her fidgety hands sitting in her lap. "I feel like I would get on your nerves or you'd grow tired of me, "she mumbled.

 

Seb furrowed his brow in disbelief. "Did you really just say that?" He stalked back to the couch in long strides and knelt in front of her, cradled her face in his hands, and kissed her with so much passion that she gasped into his mouth before reciprocating with just as much determination. She knew it wasn't meant to be such a heated kiss, but she soon found herself moaning into his mouth and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, trying to pull him on top of her.

 

He chuckled against her lips and pulled away, taking her hands in his. "As much as I would love to ravish you right now, _iubi_ , I'm more worried about your head."

 

"Party pooper," Laryn muttered as she jutted out her chapped bottom lip.

 

He smiled and kissed her hair. "I'm gonna go feed the furbabies and run to the pharmacy to grab some extra bandages and cleaning solution. Do you need anything?"

 

"A really stiff drink," she chimed, batting her long lashes as he gave her a stern look. "Okay, okay... Honestly I'd just like to pick up where we left off last night before I got my skull cracked open. Pizza and Netflix?"

 

"We can do that." He took her keys from her purse and headed for the door.

 

"I'm gonna take a shower, I feel gross."

 

"Alright, just try not to get the bandage wet. I'll be back in twenty." He grinned over his shoulder as he left.

 

Laryn stood and wandered around the couch and down the hallway looking for his bedroom, inspecting all the little details along the way. He kept his apartment pretty plain, she noticed. She found this strange, considering he is so far from ordinary.

 

Upon finding his bedroom, she sat on the edge of his bed and looked around. She wasn't one for snooping, so she respected his privacy by staying out of his drawers. After a minute or two, she pushed herself further up onto the bed and laid sideways on one of the pillows, breathing deeply when she found the pillow to smell like him. Now having to keep herself from nodding off, she slid off the enormous bed and wandered into the bathroom.

 

It was much larger than her master bathroom; the shower was larger and had seats, and the tub was about the size of a four-person hot tub. She would have to remember to coax him into the tub with her one of these days.

 

She started peeling off her clothes, being extra cautious when pulling her shirt over her head. She reached in and turned the hot water on, testing it several times before stepping in. He didn't have any girly body washes, so she would just have to make do with his. She was right about feeling gross; she had managed to get filthy between then and being attacked the night before, probably from falling to the dirty floor several times in her boy shorts.

 

She spent about ten minutes washing and simply enjoying the hot water, careful not to get her head wet. Then something dawned on her: the doctors more than likely had to shave that part of her head to get to the wound. Now completely mortified, she turned the shower off and climbed out, reaching for the clean towel hanging nearby.

 

She wrapped herself up and stood in front of the mirror, wondering how she could best view the problem area. She managed to find a hand mirror in a drawer, so she carefully peeled back part of the bandage and held the smaller mirror behind her head. As she angled the hand mirror, she cried out to the empty room; not only had they shaved the area, she was _not_ prepared for how many staples were holding her scalp together.

 

After nearly dropping the mirror, she dragged herself back to the living room, still towel-clad as she had no clothes at his place. Just as she rounded the end of the sectional,  the front door swung open and in walked Sebastian, startling Laryn so much that she nearly jumped out of her skin, dropping her towel in the process. Seb closed the door and turned to her, not able to hide his amusement as he approached her with his lip between his teeth, carrying whatever he bought at the pharmacy, plus some of her clothes. He dropped the bags on the couch and picked up her towel, wrapping it around her and kissing her forehead.  Then he frowned, noticing her tears. "What's the matter?" he pressed, taking her hand and leading her to the couch.

 

"They shaved my head," she answered through the most pitiful sob, throwing herself into his arms.

 

He was thankful that she couldn't see his smile or else she might take offense. He leaned her back and brushed her tears away. "Look at me," he said. She turned her bright green gaze to him, fighting more tears and sniffling. He studied her for a moment, one hand cupping her face and the other sliding around to the back of her neck, careful not to put any pressure on her wound. He pulled her closer, brushing her nose with his, and smiled. " _Esti inca frumoasa_ ," he purred just before kissing her, smiling inwardly when her breath caught in her throat. He would _never_ grow tired of that. He angled her face to deepen the kiss and she forgot all about the fact that she was wearing nothing but a towel as she pushed him down against the couch seats and climbed on top of him, never breaking their kiss. He slid his hand down to the small of her back and began rubbing circles as he came up for air, watching her eyes slide open and change shades of green.

 

She smiled and sat up. "Sorry..." she muttered as her cherks heated up, another trait that Seb found infinitely endearing and cute. "Your Romanian tongue just does things to me..."

 

Seb chuckled and sat up to kiss her temple. "Noted. At any rate, your hair will grow back."

 

"Not fast enough," she grumbled, picking through the bag of clothes he brought from her apartment to find something comfortable to put on. "I'm gonna have to chop the rest of it off when my head fully heals just to even it out, and short hair does not suit me."

 

"So just wear it down, it'll be cold enough for the next few months."

 

"I don't know..." she tried to come up with more options as she stood up to pull a black pair of panties on and gingerly tug an oversized Harry Potter t-shirt over her head. Her head started pounding again as she sat back down and covered her face with her hands. _Fuck this stress..._

 

"Well, whatever you decide to do," Seb grabbed her bottle of pain pills and plucked a couple of tablets out, handing them to her with the water bottle he took from the fridge moments before, "you'll still be stunning, _dragă_." She beamed at him, momentarily causing him to forget that he was starving and she probably was as well. "So, how about that pizza?" 

 

"Yes, please!" she squeaked, settling into his side as he picked up his phone to call in an order, leaning his cheek on the top of her head and sighing contentedly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packing, moving and quality time with new friends :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo! I hope this chapter isn't too short, but I know y'all will enjoy it ;)

 

 

 

***THREE DAYS LATER***

 

The sun shimmered brightly through the curtains of Laryn's apartment on an exceptionally cold Thursday afternoon as she slowly but surely packed what belongings she would be moving into Sebastian's apartment. Sebastian had gone to run a few errands, leaving Laryn to her own devices temporarily.

 

As The Weeknd's "Wicked Games" floated beautifully through the apartment, she smoked her way through a skinny joint she managed to roll on her own after losing her roller during her move to New York. She had no idea how her dad managed to make it through three airports with an ounce of high-quality weed, but God bless him as her pain meds weren't always so effective.

 

As cold as it was outside, it was actually quite toasty inside the apartment, so Laryn thanked her lucky stars for being able to dress comfortably, wearing only a pair of cheeky panties and one of Sebastian's button-down shirts, which she had completely unbuttoned, exposing her flat tummy and deep valley between her breasts.

 

Sliding around the kitchen in her socks, she swayed her hips to the sexy sounds emitted from her iHome, getting lost in The Weeknd's sultry music. She would never admit it to Sebastian, nor would she knowingly let him see her let herself go as she was this afternoon, but she was much more self-conscious about her body than she let on. Of course, one would never guess this bit of intel judging by the way she rolled her body so sensually as she flitted around the kitchen, humming along with the song, joint in one hand and the other hand plucking dinnerware from cabinets and setting them in boxes.

 

She eventually set the rest of the joint in a nearby ash tray and became so lost in the music throbbing through her that she forgot where she was and closed her eyes, running her hands over her breasts, opening the shirt more as her hands travelled down her stomach and nearly meeting at the apex of her thighs, causing her to become surprisingly aroused and wishing Seb was there.

 

She continued her seductive solo dance as she began packing glasses and coffee cups, completely oblivious to the fact that Sebastian had already returned long enough to stand and watch her with lust in his eyes. He hadn't seen her like this and, quite frankly, had never seen anything so beautiful and erotic.

 

With the bulge in his pants growing larger, he pulled his lip between his teeth and cleared his throat. Laryn whipped around, nearly dropping the cup in her hands, face and chest red as a tomato. There he was, standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe and drinking her in as if she was the last oasis in a dry desert, pupils blown wide with desire.

 

Laryn gulped. "H-how long have you been back?" she stammered, eyes wide in embarrassment.

 

"Long enough," Sebastian purred as he stepped toward her, tongue darting across his full lips and smiling wickedly. He stopped momentarily, cocking an eyebrow as he raised his chin, sniffing the air and then narrowing his eyes at her. "Are you high?"

 

Her mouth formed a thin line as she nodded slowly and shuffled her socked feet. "Uh... You didn't see--"

 

"Trust me, sweetheart, I saw," he resumed his advance until he stood directly in front of her and took the coffee cup from her hand, setting it on the nearby counter and turning to her, licking his lips once more in anticipation. He brushed her hair off her neck with his long fingers and cupped her neck, pulling her to him and kissing her. Her eyes fluttered shut as she reciprocated and he slid his shirt off of her shoulders, letting it pool on the floor around her feet. She tangled her fingers in his messy hair as her lips parted, inviting his velvet tongue to glide along hers as their kiss quickly became more heated and desperate.

 

He reached up and took one of her hands from his hair, placing it firmly over his very noticable bulge. " _This_ is what you do to me, _dragă_ ," he groaned, his voice gravelly with lust. She moaned softly as he attacked her mouth again in a bruising kiss. He then ran his hands down her back and over her ass, smacking it lightly before placing his hands underneath it and lifting her off the ground to carry her to her bedroom.

 

As if it was planned, right on queue, the iHome switched to The Weeknd's "Earned It" as he carried her through her bedroom doorway and dropped her on the bed, drawing the cutest giggle from her. He grinned as he peeled his sinfully tight shirt over his head and tossed it over his shoulder, landing perfectly over her lampshade and casting a red hue over the room. She opened her legs for him as he fit himself like a glove between them, resting on his elbows above her and brushing her long hair out of her face.

 

"So I guess you enjoyed the show?" she asked coyly, waggling her eyebrows suggestively and grinding her hips into his.

 

"What gave me away?" he replied mid-moan before slotting his lips over hers again, licking into her mouth hungrily as she made every effort to rid him of the rest of his clothes. He began to trail wet kisses across her jaw and down her neck, nipping at her pulsepoint and making her gasp. "You should dance for me more often," he whispered against her ear, catching her earlobe between his teeth and drawing a long sigh from her. "I want you to scream for me, _frumoasa_."

 

She moaned loudly at his use of his native tongue; he knew damn well what that did to her. He continued his torture, dragging his lips and tongue down to her breasts and not hesitating to pay extra attention to each one. As he nipped and sucked at her already erect nipples, he trailed his hand to her sex and grazed his fingers over her soaked panties.

 

" _Ești atât de umed pentru mine,_ " he breathed against her soft skin, rubbing firm circles through the wet fabric causing her to whimper as she writhed beneath him. He chuckled as he continued his descent down her body, dragging her panties down her legs as he peppered her with kisses, jumping from her stomach to her milky thighs. As he settled himself between her thighs, he gazed up at her and caught her staring down at him, breasts rising and falling heavily and lips parted slightly. Without breaking eye contact, he slowly licked a long, thick stripe along her slit, causing her to throw her head back against the blankets beneath her and let out a sinful moan. Seb groaned lowly and dove into her dripping folds, gripping her thighs and completely devouring her. She fisted one hand into his hair and the other in the bedding above her head, unable to control the porn-worthy sounds falling from her lips; this only encouraged Sebastian as his lips latched onto her fully and traced his name into her with his tongue.

 

"Oh fucking _hell_ , Sebastian," she panted as her thighs began to quake around his head. He smirked against her and brought his hand from her thigh and plunged two long fingers into her, curling them upward and grazing her most sensitive spot, making her howl as she tumbled over the edge and gushed into his eager mouth. He massaged the back of her thighs as he greedily lapped up every bit of her slick.

 

As Laryn lay blissfully coming down from her orgasm, Seb rid himself of his remaining clothes and climbed back onto her, kissing her deeply and in one swift move flipped them over so she straddled him.

 

"Ride me, _iubi_ ," he moaned huskily, running his fingers up her thighs. "I want to watch you."

 

Laryn blushed profusely and bit her lip. She wasn't used to being revered like this and it made her love Sebastian more. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his lips, then ground her pelvis into his as she left a trail of kisses down his neck, being sure to nip at his Adam's apple; she adored the way her touches made him moan beneath her. She lifted up and wrapped her hand around his pulsating member, aligning it with her entrance, and easing down. They both sighed and she stilled for a minute, adjusting to his girth, before beginning a slow and steady rhythm.

 

Sebastian watched her in awe through hooded eyes as she braced herself on his broad chest, breasts bouncing and her long hair falling around her face. He reached up to grip her hips as she bounced on him and sped up her movements. Soon his grip on her hips tightened and he put his feet flat against the bed, thrusting upward to meet her as she swiveled and rolled her hips. She leaned back and propped herself on his thighs, adjusting the angle of entry and allowing him to thrust deeper into her.

 

" _Fuck_ , you're amazing," Seb moaned as his thrusts grew erratic and she began to pant his name repeatedly. He reached down to where their bodies joined and found her oversensitized bundle of nerves, rubbing circles into it furiously with his thumb. She keened and arched her back, her walls fluttering and choking his orgasm out of him. He cried out an undiscernable string of curses in Romanian as they rode out their mutual orgasm together and she collapsed against his chest.

 

As they recovered, she rolled onto the bed beside him and he pulled her to him, snaking his arms around her and kissing her hair. Then he remembered her injury. "Shit, how's your head?"

 

She had completely forgotten about it as well. She reached back and touched it gingerly, checking her hand for any blood and relieved when there was none. "Seems fine to me," she stated, showing him her hand. He sighed heavily and fell back against the pillow. Laryn pressed her cheek into his chest and giggled. "All because I was dancing?"

 

Seb chuckled. "In my defense, it was incredibly sexy and you should do it more often."

 

"I'll keep that in mind," she sighed, forcing her body to move and straddling him once more. "I love you," she tangled her fingers into his hair, losing herself in his blue-gray stare.

 

" _Te iubesc,_ " he replied, emotions evident in his sparkling eyes as he tugged her down to kiss her. As their kiss grew heated and soft moans began to tumble from her lips again, she broke the kiss and pulled away.

 

"Don't get me started again, I have to pack," she groaned, slapping his chest playfully.

 

"I could do this all day, sweetheart," he purred, smirking mischievously and reaching around to grope her ass.

"Isn't that Chris' line?" she asked pointedly as she climbed off of him and went to rummage for clothes. "Although I don't doubt that."

 

"Okay, fine," he fake-groaned. "Just packing today?"

 

She shrugged. "Gotta get it done sooner than later."

 

"Excellent point, my dear. Feel like company tonight? Scarlett and Elizabeth have been asking about you. They were really worried the other day."

 

Laryn grinned widely, completely loving having famous friends. "Of course," she said giddily as she yanked on a sweater and jeans. "But only if I get to cook."

 

"You know I'm not gonna argue with that," he snaked his arms around her and kissed her. "I'll text Scarlett and give her a time."

 

"You sure you don't wanna invite some guys over so y'all can dude-bro while we talk girly shit?"

 

"I might give Don a call, now that you mention it."

 

She smiled. It was nice to have a sense of domesticity back after the crazy last couple years she had endured, especially getting to enjoy it with such a loving and kindhearted man. She watched him pull his clothes back on and led him back to the kitchen to finish packing, the sounds of The Weeknd still crisp in the air.

 

***************************************

 

"...and you were _married_ to this waste of oxygen?" Scarlett gasped through a roll of sushi, staring wide-eyed from across Sebastian's living room as Laryn explained more thoroughly her  ordeal with her ex-husband. Elizabeth sat silently but just as shocked next to Laryn on the smaller part of the sectional.

 

"I--yeah, unfortunately," Laryn sighed, looking down solemnly at her own sushi roll.

 

Scarlett's jaw clenched. "I ought to hunt that bastard down and tear him in half myself."

 

Laryn chuckled. "Well, he's in jail, thank God, but thank you."

 

"I'm just so glad you're okay," Elizabeth said, placing a reassuring hand on Laryn's forearm and smiling.

 

"Me too, I nearly broke my phone in half when Seb told me what happened," Scarlett popped another roll into her mouth.

 

Laryn beamed at the girls. "Y'all are the best. Really." She tossed back the last swig of her wine and stood up to pour herself another glass. "Anyone else want some more?"

 

"I'll come with you," Scarlett said, standing up and following her to the kitchen. They walked past Seb and Don, who were talking amongst themselves in the dining area, each with a beer in their hand. "So, he's moving you in?"

 

Laryn nodded as she picked up the half-empty bottle of moscato and poured Scarlett another glass. "He says he would have more peace of mind if I was here."

 

"Understandably so. He loves you and wants you to be safe. You know..." Scarlett glanced over her shoulder at Seb, "I've never seen him this happy."

 

"Really?" Laryn tilted her head, eyes lighting up as she accidentally poured herself more wine than she meant to.

 

Scarlett nodded with a knowing smile. "I'm not sure you could get rid of him if you tried," she said with a light chuckle.

 

"Not that I'd ever want to," Laryn remarked, blushing lightly.

 

Scarlett smiled warmly and looped her arm through Laryn's, leading her back to the sectional.

 

As they passed by Seb and Don a second time, Seb caught Laryn staring and returned her gaze with a toothy smile, eyes following her through the room.

 

"She's an absolute gem," Don said, clapping Seb firmly on the back. "I'm happy for you, man."

 

"Yeah," Sebastian said wistfully, still staring across the apartment at the woman he loved. "I think I might take her somewhere soon," he turned back to Don and finished his beer.

 

"I hear the Maldives are fantastic this time of year," Don suggested.

 

Seb blushed trying not to think too much of Laryn in a barely-there bikini, soaking up the sun on some beach in the middle of nowhere. "You know," he began, "I've never been one to think long-term, but... I don't know, man, she's just so..."

 

"Perfect," Don completed Seb's thought for him, knowing his friend sometimes has trouble putting his thoughts into speech.

 

Seb smiled and nodded, grabbing another beer and heading toward the sectional, Don following behind him. "Enjoying ourselves, ladies?" he drawled, settling down next to Laryn and planting a firm kiss to her cheek. She sank into his side as he picked up the remote and started flipping through Netflix while the group fell back into conversation. She looked around the room at her new friends and smiled, content with her new life and wondering silently what would happen next.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn adjusts to living with Seb and makes him a fancy dinner, and he surprises her ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeyy everyone :D sorry for the slight delay in this chapter, as y'all know Thanksgiving is this week so I've been a bit busy prepping! I wanted this chapter to be special because it really signifies Seb and Laryn's relationship growing stronger. I do hope y'all enjoy :) and please let me know what y'all think, I love reading comments! <3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After two excruciatingly long and itchy weeks, Laryn was finally able to get those blasted staples removed from her scalp and let the base of her skull breathe. So after paying a visit to the hospital with Sebastian to have her head tended to, she decided to treat herself while he ran some mystery errands.

 

Her first stop was the hair salon down the street; her hair was growing back rather quickly around her injury site, so she figured she should have the rest of her hair shortened to match so it didn't look like a maniacal toddler tried to cut it.

 

She stepped timidly into the salon, sweating bullets as it had been _years_ since she had her hair done professionally. "Welcome, what can I do for you?" this sweet little blonde chimed with a smile that could blind anyone.

 

Laryn smiled nervously in return. "I need to have my hair fixed badly after an accident required part of it to be shaved," she muttered, embarrassed; they probably didn't get a lot of cases like this. "Please tell me you can fix this," she turned around and lifted her long hair, showing the girl the much shorter patch and what would be an ugly scar.

 

"Oh my goodness," the girl gasped quietly. "I'm sure we can come up with something." She led Laryn to the nearest empty chair and motioned for her to sit. "Is there any particular style you had in mind? Pixie, bob?"

 

"Just something cute and kind of shaggy that will look good, I don't usually sport short hair since it's so damn thick." The two women chuckled.

 

"I could also do a loose perm, make it wavy? That would look so cute on you!"

 

Laryn smiled. "Actually that sounds great." She tried to relax as the petite girl got to work on her mess of hair, doing her best not to have a full-blown anxiety attack.

 

"You must be nervous, cutting such long hair off," the girl said, "but not to worry, I'll fix it right up."

 

"I'm just a little upset, it took me years to get it this long and just a minute of my ex beating me up to completely ruin it," Laryn said darkly, her face falling to her hands fidgeting in her lap underneath the hair shield.

 

"Oh my God," the girl nearly dropped her shears. "You must have been terrified!"

 

"Actually, I can't really remember much... He went straight from calm to cracking my skull on a concrete wall in seconds, so I didn't have much time to react."

 

"My goodness, well you definitely have an angel watching over you. Alright, here goes the ponytail. You ready?"

 

Laryn nodded warily. "I guess you could say that... My boyfriend saved me before the bastard could do any more damage." She winced when the girl snipped off her ponytail in one clean cut.

 

"Wow, he sounds like a keeper!" She held up Laryn's ponytail. "Would you like to donate this?"

 

Laryn nodded. "Just not to Locks of Love, I know those cheapskates are very selective with who they give wigs to. If you know of a better organization..."

 

The girl nodded and set the snipped hair aside. "So, tell me about this knight in shining armor of yours!"

 

Laryn chuckled, the girl's statement calling to mind the metal arm that Seb had to squeeze into for the role of Bucky Barnes. "Well, we met the day I moved into my apartment, actually. That was a couple months ago..." She kept her eyes from watering as she watched her hair get snipped away. "He and his friends helped me move in and the chenistry was instantaneous. He's the kindest person I know, and caring, sweet, smart, funny... The fact that he's drop dead gorgeous is just the cherry on top."

 

"Well he sounds like the total package! You're one lucky woman," the girl beamed.

 

The conversation went on for the duration of Laryn's appointment and eventually ended with the girls exchanging numbers, much to Laryn's delight that she had finally made a friend on her own.

 

After about two hours, her hair was much shorter and wavy but even and it looked fantastic. "This is great, Natalie, thank you so much," Laryn turned to give her new friend a tight hug and a generous tip before telling her to text or call anytime and going up front to pay for the service.

 

On her way home, she decided that she was in a cooking mood and stopped by the grocery store to gather supplies for her future food onslaught.

 

***************************************

 

Later in the afternoon, wrapped in her sexy apron and donning a loose spaghetti strap and tiny black shorts underneath, Laryn slaved away in the kitchen she had grown used to sharing with Seb. Occasionally checking the recipe that she had tucked away in the bookmarks on her phone's browser, she juggled the tasks of re-drizzling the simmering sauce over the prosciutto-wrapped veal cutlets that were baking in the oven, sauteeing asparagus, and mixing together the stuffing for her famous stuffed mushrooms. She was so preoccupied with cooking that she didn't hear the front door open.

 

Sebastian tiptoed through the apartment and into the kitchen and stopped in the doorway, watching his lover intently and taking note of her much shorter hair. "Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?" he asked playfully, the corners of his mouth curling up into a smile.

 

Laryn squeaked and whipped around, hands flying to her hair. "Fuck, do you not like it? I fucking knew it looked weird, I--" Seb held up a single finger to silence her, raising an eyebrow.

 

"I never said that," he said pointedly as he shed his coat and slowly approached her, tugging lightly at the strands of hair that framed her face. "This isn't because you were self conscious about your shorter patch, is it?"

 

Laryn nodded. "It was bugging me, I couldn't wear a ponytail without looking like an angry three-year-old hacked at it. I'm sorry, Seb, I should have said something to you but I didn't even think about it, I just couldn't take it anymore and--" He pressed his lips to hers and silenced her rambling, running his long fingers through her new wavy hair and carefully cradling the back of her head to deepen the kiss. When he pulled away, he chuckled at the dazed look in her eyes and goofy smile.

 

"I love it, _prinţesă_ ," he cooed before pecking her kiss-swollen lips once more and stepped to the stove. "My God, it smells like Italy in here."

 

"You didn't think I could only cook southern cuisine, did you?" Laryn chuckled as she quickly began cramming mushroom caps full of stuffing and placed them in a dish, thrilled that he didn't hate her new hair. "Would you be a dear and open the wine?" she gestured to the bottle of burgundy liquid resting on the bar.

 

"Yes ma'am!" He pulled two wine glasses out of the cupboard above the bar and found the corkscrew, working it into the cork and slowly easing it from the bottle.

 

Laryn sprinkled a handful of cheese over the mushrooms and placed the dish in the oven, turning on her heel to find Seb had been overflexing his arms waiting for her to notice.

 

"You're incorrigible," she snorted, swatting his bicep playfully as she passed him to gather dinnerware for the table. "Everything should be ready in about ten," she called over her shoulder while she padded around the table placing items in their rightful spots. When she finished, she turned to find Sebastian directly behind her, a mischievous smirk gracing his gorgeous face and a hungry look in his eyes. "Hey," she gasped, somewhat startled by his quiet and stealthy movements.

 

"Hey back," he purred, slinking his arms around her hips and cupping her barely covered ass as he grazed her ear with his soft lips. "Is there anything you don't do?"

 

"Windows," she replied cheekily, drawing a light chuckle from Seb that sent a shiver directly to her core.

 

He drew back slightly to kiss her forehead and take a better look at her ensemble, his eyes suddenly growing darker.

 

"Is... Is that the same apron you wore when you sent those naughty photos to me?"

 

She grinned and nodded, chewing her lip to suppress a moan when he growled and attacked her pulse point, nipping and then soothing the area with his tongue. "Seb, wait-- _ahh_ ," she gasped just as he reached down and ran his fingers over her sex through the thin fabric of her shorts.

 

" _Ești minunată_ ," he breathed against her lips before bringing both hands to her face and kissing her fiercely, smiling as she whimpered into his mouth when he shoved his knee between her thighs and pressed upward, rubbing against her just right. She clawed at his shirt, fighting to remove it as she fought for dominance against his tongue and ground her pelvis onto his thigh, when the kitchen timer announced that dinner was ready. Seb reluctantly tore himself away and grinned when Laryn whined and jutted her bottom lip out.

 

"This isn't over, mister," she stated through gritted teeth as she jabbed her pointer finger into his broad chest before stumbling over to the oven to attend to the food.

 

"I would hope not," Seb replied lustfully, biting his lip as he observed the way she overexaggerated the swaying of her hips.

 

"Dinner isn't the only thing I have planned tonight," she winked as she carried dishes of piping hot food to the table.

 

"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "What's the occasion?" She simply shrugged nonchalantly, to which he narrowed his eyes.

 

"All I'll say is, you won't be taking dessert at the table," she grinned devilishly.

 

His jaw clenched and his eyes grew darker as his imagination ran wild with different possibilities that she could be alluding to. He cleared his throat and adjusted his suddenly tighter pants, now much more interested in his wine glass.

 

"Well, _bon apetit_ ," she chirped, waving a hand at the food waiting to be devoured. "The mushrooms I've done a million times, but I winged it on the veal and asparagus, so go easy on me."

 

They filled their respective plates and she watched with hopeful eyes as he tried everything. He took his first bite of the veal and chewed slowly, eyes growing wide and then rolling to the back of his head as he moaned his approval.

 

"You like it?" she grinned, clasping her hands together.

 

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted," he declared in between large bites. Laryn squealed with delight before digging into her own plate of food.

Most of their meal was spent in silence due to the overwhelming deliciousness of the food, which had Laryn's mood soaring. Also, much to her delight, the wine had disappeared for the most part, leaving them both tingly and full.

 

As Seb tossed his napkin over his empty plate after having seconds of everything, he folded his hands and propped his chin up, having no shame in staring at Laryn while she tossed back the last of her wine. She noticed this as she set her empty glass on the table and turned her body to face him.

 

"Penny for your thoughts, sugar?" she drawled, crossing her legs and sliding her bare foot up the side of his leg suggestively.

 

"I have a surprise for you," he said, grinning as he reached down and grabbed her ankle, bringing her foot to his lap and massaging the arch with his thumbs.

 

"Really," she tilted her head to the side. "Oh my _God_ , you have amazing hands," she groaned as she lolled her head back, eyes fluttering shut as she enjoyed the impromptu foot rub. "So what is it?"

 

He stopped his ministrations and set her foot back to the floor, smirking. "Not until I have my dessert," he purred.

 

"No fair," she pouted, shoving her other foot into his waiting hands.

 

"What's not fair, doll," he raked his gaze over her, pausing at the apex of her thighs before meeting her eyes, "is you prancing around in that sexy apron and making me wait to tear it off of you."

 

"Well," she pulled her foot from his grasp and pulled the apron off and tossed it over the back of her chair before standing up, "someone is impatient..." She swayed her hips as she made her way to their bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes along the way. He growled and followed close behind.

 

By the time Seb crossed the threshold, Laryn was completely bare and standing at the foot of the bed, blushing slightly. He chewed his bottom lip and shed his shirt as he approached her and brushed the now short strands of hair from her face. "I'll never get tired of watching you blush," he purred against her lips before his mouth attacked hers, hands roaming her body before settling at her hips and sliding back to grope her ass roughly. She parted her lips, inviting him in and instigating a battle for dominance between their tongues as she worked his pants open and shoved them down over his magnificent thighs.

 

As he stepped out of his pants and kicked them away, he attempted to push her backward onto the bed when she tutted, "Me first, or I won't get my turn at all." She winked as she lowered herself to her knees before him, slowly dragging his tight boxer briefs with her on the way. As he sprang free, she stared in awe and licked her lips hungrily. She smirked and reached up, grasping him firmly at the base and licking a long, thick stripe from base to tip.

 

" _Shit_ ," he hissed through gritted teeth as he tangled his fingers into her hair. She gazed up at him through her unusually long lashes to find him staring right back, pupils blown wide and lips slightly parted. She smiled around his tip just before grasping the back of his thighs and taking him completely into her mouth, swallowing around him as the tip touched the back of her throat, causing him to nearly go crosseyed. He moaned obscenely loudly and threw his head back as he thrust his hips forward, and she let him, her eyes beginning to water as she ignored her gag reflex and happily allowed him to hold her head in place and thrust into her throat.

 

His thrusts began to falter before he picked a stopping point, yanking her off the floor and up to his level as he bruised her lips with a hungry kiss. "Lay down for me, _frumoasa_ ," he breathed. She nearly tossed herself onto the bed in anticipation, drawing a light chuckle from Seb, who found her excitement adorable.

 

She got comfortable as he climbed over her, trailing feather-light kisses up her flat stomach and over the large swell of her breasts, finally latching onto her lips and invading her warm mouth. She moaned into his mouth as he spread her thighs and grazed his fingers over her wetness, marveling at how she could become this aroused simply from pleasuring him.

 

She chased after his lips as he tore himself away to kiss and nip his way back down, pausing his journey to pay close attention to her breasts. He loved drawing those little sounds from her, watching her squirm and writhe as she mewled and whimpered beneath him while he continued his torturous path.

 

He reached her hips and nipped and sucked marks into them, smiling when she gasped. "Seb," she all but whispered, fisting a hand into his messy hair.

 

"Yes, _draga mea_?" he puffed out against her core, making her jump as she moaned. He grinned just before tossing each of her legs over his shoulders, leaning down and completely _devouring_ her. She very nearly screamed, arching her back completely off the mattress as she tightened her grip on his hair with one hand and tangled her other hand into the sheets. He formed a vacuum around her with his lips as he pushed two fingers into her, curling them upward with each inward thrust. It didn't take much longer before he felt her walls clench around his fingers as she reached her peak, crying out her ecstasy to the ceiling as she drenched his hand and face. He lapped up every last drop before recoiling and gazing over her utterly wrecked form, taking satisfaction in his handiwork.

 

She lay there motionless as her chest heaved, wanting to melt into a puddle of goo or become one with the mattress. But she wasn't totally spent, and she knew Sebastian wasn't either. She painstakingly lifted her arms and reached for him, almost giving up before she felt the mattress dip around her and he leaned his face into one of her hands. He crawled over her and she laced her fingers into his hair once more, pulling him down to kiss him lazily, tasting herself on his lips.

 

"You still with me, sweetheart?" he mumbled before pushing his tongue between her parted lips. She merely hummed her affirmative as her hands wandered downward over the muscled plains of his back.

 

As he made no move to penetrate her, she grew somewhat impatient and spread her thighs further apart as she ground into his pelvis. " _Please_ , Sebastian," she begged him against his mouth, " _I need you._ "

 

He smirked, reaching between them to line himself up with her entrance. "I'm right here, baby. I got you," he kissed her passionately as he completely buried himself inside her, both moaning into the other's mouth. Their bodies still tingled from the effects of the wine they consumed earlier coupled with the beautiful friction created between them as their bodies joined in the sweetest way. He brushed her hair from her sweaty forehead and kissed her as he began a slow but steady rhythm with his hips, thrusting into her wonderfully as she met him halfway with each thrust of her hips.

 

" _Fuck_ , you feel like heaven," he breathed as he leaned downward to her ear and nipped at it, then working her pulse point as she panted and moaned his name. He took her wrists and placed them above her head, holding them there with one hand as he pushed her knee upward against the mattress with the other and pounded into her with bruising force, the new angle and position of her arms causing her to involuntarily arch off the mattress and push her breasts up toward him. He took advantage of this and took one nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around and then biting it, drawing a loud yelp from her that morphed into a long string of moans and curses as he paid the same attention to her other nipple while he continued pistoning into her.

 

"S-Seb I'm gonna--" she stuttered as her eyes screwed shut and her walls clenched around him tighter than ever.

 

"I know, I'm right behind you," he panted as he pounded his hips harder, letting out a guttoral, almost primal growl as he crashed into his orgasm, his last few heavy thrusts dragging her over the edge with him as her walls fluttered around him and she cried his name to the heavens above.

 

As they rode out their highs he did his best not to collapse and crush her as he shakily lowered himself next to her, hitting the pillow and throwing his arm over her waist. 

 

" _Fuck_ ," Laryn panted as she tried to catch her breath, grazing her fingernails across his arm and forming goosebumps.

 

"Figuratively and literally," he chuckled, nuzzling into her neck and planting lazy kisses wherever he could. He then sprang up, nearly giving her a heart attack, and reaching over her to his bedside table and rummaging in the drawer. Pulling back with two pieces of paper in his hand, he plastered his signature shiteating grin on his face and held them out to her. "Surprise," he said sheepishly.

 

She blinked at him and took the papers, examining them. Her jaw dropped when she realized that they were boarding passes and she looked at him with saucer eyes. "The Maldives? Are you fucking with me?!"

 

He shook his head. "I wanted to take you somewhere nice, and I've never been. If you wanna go somewhere else--"

 

It was her turn to shake her head, and she did so furiously. "No. Absolutely not. This is the best gift anyone has ever given me _ever_!" She blinked tears away as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him roughly. "This is... I don't know what to say, this is amazing, Seb. Thank you," she buried her face in his neck and did her best not to cry. "I love you," she mumbled as she kissed his pulse point.

 

He smiled and tightened his arms around her, squeezing her and kissing her hair. "I love you too, _draga_."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebby and Laryn go on vacation! :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy y'all :D here I am with a new chapter! Hope everyone had an amazing holiday and please enjoy this addition to my story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Shitshitshitshit_. Laryn huffed and clutched at her aching ribcage with one hand as she ran at top speed through the airport dragging Sebastian behind her with her other hand. Their plane was about to board and thanks to Seb and his _magic hands_ , they were running late.

 

"Shit, babe, slow down," Seb panted as he tried to keep up. "How the fuck are you running so fast?"

 

"I ran track in high school," she yelled over her shoulder, quickly flipping her short hair out of her eyes.

 

"Well it definitely paid off," he wondered aloud, admiring the way her ass bounced as they ran. He considered himself a breast man, but he always found himself stumbling over how delicious her curvy ass and thighs were. He almost didn't notice when she skidded to a halt in front of their gate, narrowly avoiding colliding with her and collapsing in a heap on the floor.

 

"You should see me when I'm being chased," she quipped with a smirk as she turned to face him.

 

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her. "Is that a challenge?"

 

"Maybe," she hitched her messenger bag further up onto her shoulder and leaned into his embrace, doing her best to ignore the flashes and shutter sounds of the cameras surrounding them. She had mentally prepared herself for this, fully understanding that as the significant other of a very well-known actor, her privacy would be mercilessly invaded. None of that mattered to her, however; come hell or high water, he made her immensely happy and she was not gonna let him go.

 

As they handed in their boarding passes and made their way down the tunnel to the plane, her anticipation increased exponentially. She had never been to the Maldives before, and she had also never flown first class. The butterflies were almost nauseating as they located their seats and settled in. She thanked her lucky stars that she had a window seat, lifting the shade as soon as she sat down and gazing out over the tarmac.

 

"You okay, doll? You look nervous," Sebastian noted as he observed her fisgeting.

 

"I'm great," she beamed, clasping her hand over his. "I love flying. Just a little too excited. I could use a drink though."

 

Seb chuckled and waved a flight attendant in their direction, ordering them some martinis. He watched her marvel at the cushy accommodations that first class offered, trying to sink as deep as she could into her plush seat. Moments later, their drinks arrived and she took hers with shaky hands.

 

"Remind me how long the flight is?" she asked, nursing her drink and turning her attention back to the window.

 

"About 20 hours," he replied before taking a sip. Laryn groaned and lolled her head onto his bicep. "Why don't you try to get some sleep in a bit? Shorten the trip a little."

 

"I can try all I want, but it probably won't happen. It's impossible for me to sleep while traveling."

 

"I'll just have to get you drunk then," he purred into her ear as he wrapped his arm around her, lightly nipping at her earlobe.

 

She shivered and bit her lip to stifle a moan, poking her head up to glance around the compartment. "Are you _trying_ to kill me?" she hissed, lightly slapping his knee.

 

"Are you complaining?" he chuckled, peering over his glass innocently as he took another drink. Her eyes narrowed at him as she took a rather generous gulp and settled into his side as best she could over the arm rest. _This is gonna be a longass flight..._

 

***************************************

 

Several drinks and a meal later, Laryn actually managed to drift off for a couple hours. She was jolted out of a rather enjoyable dream of lovemaking on white sands and crystal blue waves by a bit of turbulence. Thankfully she could still feel the effects of the alcohol, but her bladder was literally about to explode. She glanced at Seb, who was stretched out and sleeping. Patting his leg as a signal for him to move, she stepped around him and made her way to the bathroom.

 

There were only two other people flying first class, and they both appeared to be sleeping, which meant the bathrooms were free. As she did her business and washed up, there was a light tapping on the door. "It's me, baby," she heard Seb's groggy voice on the other side. Wondering what was going on, she opened the door and he almost comically forced himself inside with her.

 

"Seb, what on earth are you doing?" she asked, amused and trying not to laugh as she was still sufficiently drunk.

 

He turned to fumble with the door and lock it before turning back to her with darkened eyes and practically pouncing on her, crashing his lips to hers hungrily. He silently thanked God that she changed into a short flowy skirt before boarding the plane as he hiked it up and lifted her by her thighs onto the tiny sink counter.

 

He finally came up for air and pressed his forehead to hers. "You're joining the mile-high club, sweetheart," he breathed, his voice low and gravelly from sleep and arousal.

 

"I think I put that together when you attacked me with your mouth," she got to work on undoing his pants as he fought to rid her of her panties and slip two fingers into her, drawing an audible gasp from her.

 

"Fuck, how are you this wet already?" he groaned into her neck as she nearly chewed straight through her bottom lip trying to keep herself from moaning. "Were you dreaming about me, _printesa_?"

 

She whimpered and nodded her head as he increased the speed of his fingers,  curling them upward to graze her sweet spot as he left a trail of wet kisses and nips down her neck to her clavicle. She did her best to push into his hand as she laced her fingers into his hair and tugged lightly, causing him to growl into her neck.

 

As she felt her impending release building up, he withdrew his fingers.  He chuckled when she whined at the sudden emptiness. "Patience, doll," he tutted as he shoved his pants down and traced her entrance, pulling her to him. "I need you to be as quiet as possible," he muttered against her lips before entering her completely, swallowing her not-so-quiet moans as his tongue invaded her mouth.

 

He hitched her leg over his hip and began a slow and torturous rhythm, using every ounce of self control to not make a single sound as he watched her come apart. She held onto him for dear life as she tried to quicken his pace by thrusting into him without sliding off the counter, but he showed no signs of speeding up.

 

Her core began to ache with need as she yanked him downward by his hair to kiss him. "Sebastian, _please_ ," she begged against his mouth. He grunted and gripped her hips with almost bruising force as he obliged her silent plea and pounded into her, making her go cross-eyed and toss her head back in a silent scream as her orgasm tore through her body. Her thighs quaked around him as she went limp and he reached his climax shortly after her, growling out her name into her neck and grasping the counter for support.

 

They let their breaths mix for a minute as they came down from their respective highs and, upon observing each other's state of ecstasy in such confined and uncomfortable space, quietly laughed as they composed themselves. He gazed down at her warmly and cradled her face, kissing her deeply.

 

Once they separated and cleaned up, he turned to go back to their seats. "I'll go first, you wait a couple minutes and then come out." She nodded her affirmative to his instructions and waited, dabbing the sweat from her face and neck before leaving the bathroom and getting comfy in her seat again.

 

There was still several hours left of their flight, so they decided to try to get some more sleep before landing and dealing with jetlag.

 

***************************************

 

The next several hours were spent simply trying to get comfortable enough to sleep, however sleep was not an option anymore for Laryn, so she settled for watching a couple movies while Seb snored lightly beside her. Just as her third movie ended, the captain announced over the intercom that they would be landing soon. Overjoyed about being off this Godforsaken plane, she soothed Sebastian out of sleep.

 

"We're fixin' to land, sweetie," she cooed against his ear as she ran her nails lightly over his arm.

 

His eyes remained closed, but his smirk gave him away. "Mmm keep doing that," he groaned softly. He absolutely loved her long nails, whether her touch was featherlight or raking red marks into his back, it didn't matter to him as long as she was touching him.

 

Laryn continued this as she watched the earth grow closer and closer until they finally touched down and slowly pulled into a gate, while Seb gathered the motivation to fully wake up and pull their luggage from the overhead compartment. Eventually they made their way off the plane and into the airport.

 

"We need to find the ferry to get to our hotel," Seb muttered as he deciphered the directional signs.

 

"So we're on a different island altogether?" Laryn questioned, suddenly hopeful that they would have an entire island all to themselves.

 

"A very small, secluded island," he turned to face her with a maddening grin and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her to him and kissing her. Only when the sound of camera shutters disrupted their moment did they pull away from each other. "Can't seem to escape them, can we?" he groaned with a very exaggerated eye roll.

 

"I don't mind so much," Laryn replied, smirking and throwing up a peace sign for the paps. "Nothing could possibly ruin my mood when I have you." She hugged his waist and could have melted into a puddle of goo right there in the airport, but unfortunately they had a ferry to catch.

 

"Come on," he smiled and tugged her toward one of the smaller exits, "the ferry is out here. And thankfully they're not allowed to follow us past the door."

 

"What about our bags?"

 

"The airport is handling them for us."

 

"The perks of being the Winter Soldier?" she raised an eyebrow coyly, to which he replied with a sexy smirk and a wink.

 

As they made their way outside, they were blasted with a wave of heat and ocean air.

 

"Wow, it feels amazing," Laryn noted as she breathed in the salty breeze. "This is exactly what I needed after freezing my ass off back home!"

 

They took in the beautiful blue and green scenery on their short walk to the ferry, snapping photo after photo and fishing their sunglasses out of Laryn's messenger bag.

 

"Do I look a little less touristy?" Laryn asked with a goofy smile as she placed her fluorescent purple shades on.

 

Seb guffawed as he threw his shades on. "Very incognito, doll."

Laryn grew more and more giddy the closer they got to their destination, bounding up the ramp onto the ferry with a very amused Seb in tow.

 

"I honesty don't think I've ever been this excited for anything before," she rambled, big cheshire grin never faltering as she found a good vantage point on deck for wave watching. She turned her gaze to the endless span of ocean and stumbled slightly as the ferry began to move and pull away from the dock.

 

Sebastian couldn't help but stare at her. She was positively radiant in the tropical sunshine with her flowy pink blouse and skirt. He noted that in proper sunlight her usually black hair had subtle undertones of deep red. He had zoned out completely by the time she turned to face him, leaning against the railing and pushing her shades upward onto the top of her head as she observed him.

 

"See something you like?" she drawled as she waved her fingers at him.

 

He snapped out of it and stepped toward her, trapping her against the railing with his arms on either side of her and looking down at her in complete awe. "You," he skimmed his long fingers down her side and just under the hem of her blouse, touching her bare skin, "are the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on," he worked his entire hand underneath her shirt and held it flat against her waist, rubbing circles into her warm skin with his thumb and sending shivers rocketing down her spine.

 

She gazed up at him with large, round eyes that shimmered different shades of green and chewed her lip as her fingers found the waistband of his pants, tugging his body against hers and standing on her tiptoes to slot her lips over his. Her ears picked up on the faint groan that escaped his throat as she forced his lips apart and deepened the kiss. Now both his hands had disappeared under her shirt and she worked her fingers into his thick hair, tugging lightly just to hear him groan into her mouth.

 

She giggled as she pulled away and attempted to smooth his hair down. "Impatient?" she asked as he continued to paw at  blouse and place kisses along her jawline.

 

"A little," he admitted shyly, a small tinge of pink blooming across his cheeks. "Something about being in a place like this though, with you..." he cupped her cheek, heated by the sunshine, "it feels... Right."

 

Now it was Laryn's turn to blush, and she did so furiously and promptly appeared to already have a sunburn. She averted her gaze momentarily, pondering trying something just to see his reaction. She grinned as she looked back up at him and said to the best of her ability, " _Te iubesc._ "

 

His eyes instantly grew darker as he drew his bottom lip between his teeth and tightened his hold on her waist. "Say it again," he almost whispered.

 

" _Te iubesc_ ," she repeated more firmly. He growled and smashed his lips to hers, kissing her hungrily and evidence of his adoration for her speaking his native tongue to him growing in his pants.

 

Just as she let put a slightly embarrassingly loud moan he tore away from her and looked at her in a way she had not quite seen yet, and it almost intimidated her but she loved it. " _Te iubesc, comoara mea_ ," he kissed her cheek, "and you're so incredibly sexy," her other cheek, "especially when you speak Romanian," and a lingering kiss to her lips.

 

"Maybe you should teach me more,"  she purred, sliding her palms up and down his arms.

 

His face lit up like a kid on Christmas. " _Considera ca si facut_ ," he said before kissing her once more.

 

She leaned back and curled the corners of her mouth up mischievously. "Wanna break the internet?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned them both away from the railing so they could have the clear blue water as their backdrop and yanked her phone out of her bag. "Of course I won't be able to post it until we get to the resort, but I'm pretty sure Instagram will explode in a major way once I do." She turned in his arms and held her phone up.

 

"You'll have to send that to me so I can post it too," he muttered against her cheek as he kissed it for the camera. She pulled her shades back down, put on a cute smirk and snapped a photo.

 

"Oh this is perfect," she drawled, showing it to Seb for approval. "And it appears that we've arrived!" And she was right; the ferry was seconds away from docking. She squealed and bounced over to where their luggage was sitting and grabbed her bag, then moved to where the exit ramp would be and very impatiently waited, rocking back onto her heels repeatedly.

 

Seb couldn't contain his laughter as he followed suit. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're way too excited to be here."

 

"Only slightly," she beamed. The ferry captain soon appeared and affixed the ramp to the pier to let his passengers exit (which actually just consisted of Laryn and Sebastian).

 

A resort staffer was present at the pier to escort them to the main area of the resort and show them where everything was located, including the spa, restaurant, and pool area complete with a bar. Afterward they were shown their private bungalow over the water. Laryn nearly fainted.

"Oh my God I can't believe I get to stay in one of these, I've dreamed of this!" She rambled excitedly as she tossed her messenger bag onto the enormous bed and explored the bungalow. The bath and shower were located on the back deck, along with their own private jacuzzi; and between the living area and bedroom there was a small kitchenette with a fully stocked minibar. "I might have to wait til later to nap away the jetlag, I _HAVE_ to make use of this deck area."

 

She wandered back inside and found Seb face down on the bed. "Sleeping already?" she giggled as she smacked his ass and went for her luggage, pulling out her red bandana-print bikini.

 

He groaned and rolled over. "I can't believe you have so much energy, I'm about to pass out."

 

"And you got more sleep on the plane than I did," she remarked as she shed her clothes and strung on her tiny bikini. "I'll be on the deck soaking up the sun if you need me," she padded to him and pecked his forehead before taking her phone to the deck and laying out on one of the beach chairs. As she got comfy, she opened Instagram and prepared her magical internet-destroying post of her and Seb that eould be the envy of all his fans. She typed out the caption: "sunshine, seabreeze, and my very own Sebastian Stan... What more could a girl ask for!", added a few hashtags, tagged Seb, and hit Share. She grinned as she set her phone aside and mentally prepared herself for the coming onslaught of likes, comments, and possible hate mail.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb and Laryn's first day in the Maldives together :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeey y'all :D so y'all get 2 chapters this week! Why? Because a certain Sebastian had some photos taken in a certain SEXY SUIT last night and it triggered some inspiration for this chapter! Enjoy ;)

 

Several hours into her first day in the Maldives with Sebastian, Laryn was already feeling antsy and questioning her worthiness of being with  such an amazing and perfect man. He sat in their private jacuzzi, head laid back on the side of the hot tub wall, looking utterly stunning, and she stood in the patio doorway staring shamelessly while chewing on her lip.

 

_Why am I here? How did this even happen? Why all of a sudden is a nobody from Texas the luckiest girl on the planet? Why does he want ME?_

 

She couldn't silence the snowballing string of questions running through her head like an overloaded freight train threatening to crash. _I need a fucking drink..._

 

She padded through the bungalow to the minibar and yanked the fridge door open, pulling out a small bottle of rum and stood on her tiptoes to reach the glasses. Plucking a couple ice cubes from the freezer and into her glass, she poured her drink as she made her way to the small couch in the living area and sank down onto the pillowy cushion, nursing her drink and getting lost in her thoughts.

 

"Something the matter?"

 

" _Jesus_!" Laryn jumped out of her skin and nearly spilled her drink when Seb appeared behind her with a towel wrapped around his waist. She clutched at her chest and laughed nervously as he rounded the end of the couch and sank down next to her.

 

"Sorry doll," he said with a smirk as he placed a large hand on her thigh, massaging circles into it with his thumb. "Everything okay?"

 

"I--yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled, smiling weakly.

 

Seb caught her hesitation and knitted his brows together. "Are you sure?"

 

Laryn nodded and leaned toward him, kissing his lips. "I'm great, I promise."

 

His brow relaxed some as his lips curled upward into a grin. "Well, are you hungry? It's nearly dinnertime and there's a restaurant on the other side of the island I'd like to take you to."

 

"I'm actually starving," you sighed after taking a generous gulp of your drink and setting it aside. "Probably shouldn't drink on an empty stomach, I wouldn't want you having to carry my ass back here."

 

Seb chuckled and stood up. "I wouldn't mind in the least." He stooped to kiss her hair before walking to the small wardrobe in the bedroom where she had stored their clothes. "Did you happen to bring a dress? Somewhat formal?"

 

"I did. Are you wining and dining me tonight, Mister Stan?"

 

He turned his head and winked as he thumbed through his clothes. "How about we get dolled up and pretend we're royalty tonight?"

 

Laryn shifted and draped her arm over the back of the couch, narrowing her eyes. "Why do I feel like you're up to no good?"

 

He spun around with a devilish grin that could make anyone faint regardless of sexual orientation. "What, I can't show my best girl a good time?"

 

"I never said that," she drawled as she stood and sauntered to him, still wearing only her bikini. "Though I'm pretty sure I would have a good time skipping around the mouth of an active volcano if you told me to do it." She stopped just inches away from him and grazed her fingertips along his rock hard abs and up over his chest, admiring every inch of him.

 

He placed one hand over hers where it stopped over his heart and snaked his other hand around her hip, pulling her flush to him. "You're incredible," he purred as he leaned forward, slotting his perfect lips over hers with so much passion that she could have died in that moment, perfectly content. "Now," he began as he pulled away, "as much as I love looking at you in that tiny bathing suit, let's get classy so I can show you off to what few other people are on the island." He gracefully twirled her away and delivered a stinging slap to her ass that made her yelp and fall into a fit of giggles as she went to her suitcase and pulled out her makeup bag.

 

***************************************

 

As Laryn squeezed into her black lacy corset dress and fastened the front hooks, she did a once-over twirl and inspected herself.

 

She purposely packed her favorite dress because Seb hadn't seen it yet and she knew he was going to be _floored_ by it. The hem stopped a mere three inches below the curve of her ass and clung to her body like a wet towel, accentuating her curves in all the right places; and the corset top was devoid of straps and pushed her breasts upward to give her a medieval look.

 

She decided on a smoky black eye shadow paired with her stiletto mascara, despite the fact that her lashes were naturally long already. She fastened her favorite lace choker around her neck and centered the silver heart that hung from it before slipping into her usual black faux-velvet platform pumps.

 

As she stepped out of the bathroom looking every bit like a gothic princess she was puzzled as to where Sebastian had gone. Cocking a perfectly shaped eyebrow, she placed a hand on her hip and wandered into the living room searching for him, only to hear him clear his throat behind her.

 

She spun in place and nearly collapsed, jaw dropping to the floor at the sight before her: he stood leaning against the patio doorway wearing a dark grey and green plaid-patterned suit, double-breasted and fit like a glove. His usually messy curls were combed back into a perfect coif and he was staring a hole right through her, knocking the breath from her lungs as he chewed his bottom lip.

As he slowly stepped toward her looking her up and down over and over again, she exhaled a deep breath she never realized she was holding. He finally reached her after what felt like an eternity and slid his fingers up her arms and over the curve of her bare shoulders, seemingly at a loss for words as his lips parted but no sound passed through them.

 

"I think I just died... Am I dead?" Laryn breathed, unable to tear her gaze away from the deep stare of his steel eyes that seemed to grow deeper.

 

He grinned widely, the corners of his eyes crinkling. God, she loved it when his entire face smiled. "I should be asking you the same thing," he finally managed to say. "When the hell did you get this dress?"

 

She was pretty sure her entire top half turned bright red as she glanced down at her lace-covered breasts where his fingers had wandered to. "I've had it for a while, actually... You like it?"

 

She turned her gaze back to him and was almost startled to find him staring back, eyes glazing over as he couldn't seem to find the words, but she saw his answer behind his eyes. Nothing needed to be said, he could skip dinner completely and spend all night watching her come undone beneath him whether he decided to take the dress off of her or not.

 

Finally, he slid his tongue across his lips and found his voice. "I feel like anything I say wouldn't be enough, but _toate stelele pe cer nu se compara cu frumusetea ta._ "

 

He leaned down and kissed her heatedly, his hands reappearing at the sensitive skin where her shoulders met her neck as she pressed her body to his, wrapping her arms around his waist and melting into his intoxicating kiss. She chased his lips as he pulled away and left a trail along her jawline and down her neck. He reached her pulsepoint and paused, inhaling deeply. "You smell so fucking good," he growled just before attacking the sensitive spot behind her ear, nearly causing her knees to give out as she clung to his arms and moaned.

 

She began tugging at his suit when Seb took her hands and pulled himself away from her. "Okay, okay," he chuckled nervously as he smoothed his coat down, observing her kiss-swollen lips and hooded eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so carried away..." he looked away bashfully, a slight pink tinge blossoming over his cheeks.

 

"You don't hear me complaining," Laryn replied coyly, reaching up to smooth down a cowlick that had popped out of his coif and huffing when it stuck right back up. "Shall we?" she beamed up at him and laced her fingers with his.

 

"We shall," he grinned and pecked her lips once more before they headed out together.

 

The walk to the restaurant was a short one, only about ten minutes along the beach. The sky had turned several different pinks, oranges, and purples as the sun set on the endless ocean, revealing several of the brighter stars before it completely disappeared below the horizon.

 

"This is magical," Laryn mused as she gazed out over the sparkling waves, carrying her heels as she wiggled her toes in the sand while they walked.

 

"I'm gad you came," Seb admitted, squeezing her hand gently. "To be honest, I was afraid you would say no or... I dunno, get scared."

 

"You're kidding, right?" she side-eyed him with surprise. "Who turns down a romantic getaway with Sebastian Stan?"

 

He blushed and glanced down at his feet for a moment before bringing her hand to his lips. A few moments later they were being seated at a candlelit table on the beach and receiving generous glasses of wine. Sebastian simply couldn't tear his gaze away from the goddess of a woman sitting across from him and she could feel his eyes on her, her skin aflame under his gaze. He smiled warmly. "You glow when you blush, do you know that?" he pressed, covering her hand with his  over the table.

 

She smiled as her blush intensified. "No one's ever made me feel this way, do you know _that_?" she reiterated his question.

 

He wet his lips and took a generous drink of his wine. Moments later their dinner arrived and they fell into comfortable silence while they ate, listening to the soft waves lapping the shore.

 

When Seb noticed her far-off expression and hint of a frown, his brow furrowed. "Are you sure you're alright, sweetheart? You're miles away."

 

She flashed a weak smile and shrugged. "I've just been feeling a bit... Inadequate," she admitted shyly. Seb tilted his head to the side, waiting for her to continue. "It's not you, please don't think that. I just... I'm nowhere near your league and I'm wondering how the hell I got so lucky."

 

Seb frowned. "Laryn..." he began slowly, but she raised a hand to halt him.

 

"Don't be upset, I just mean I'm not used to being with a celebrity. I've spent years pining over you, I hope you know that. Never in a million years had I ever dreamed this would be happening," she gestured between them and then to their surroundings before swiping at a stray tear she didn't realize had built up behind her eyes. "Don't mistake my tears for sadness, Sebastian. I'm incredibly happy and please believe me when I say you make me feel like the luckiest gal in the world."

 

Seb grinned at her southern drawl and took her hand in his. "I'm thrilled that you're happy, baby. I was beginning to wonder if I'd made the right decision by bringing you here, you seemed down earlier. But," he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small rectangular red box, "I should be telling you how I feel."

 

Laryn gasped and clasped a hand over her mouth, her eyes watering more. "Seb, you didn't have to--"

 

He shook his head. "Yes, I did. I've had a rough past year or so, and finding you outside my apartment building was a blessing and I most certainly consider it so. Don't ever think you're not good enough, because you're perfect." He passed the box to her across the table. " _Te iubesc, printesa._ You deserve nice things."

 

She grinned and opened the box, revealing a white gold necklace with a heart pendant that cradled several diamonds and an amethyst, her birthstone and also her favorite precious stone, in the center.

 

"Oh my God, Sebastian," she shot up from her chair and nearly fell into his lap, planting a kids to his smiling lips. "I love you," she whispered as she did her best not to ruin his perfect hair.

 

His eyes twinkled as he took the box and twirled his finger, motioning for her to turn around. She obliged, turning her body in his lap as he strung the jewelry around her neck and fastened it, his fingers lingering for a moment on the soft skin of her shoulders. She spun back around and revealed that it hung perfectly below her choker, the heart cradled by her clavicle. He gave her a once-over as his gaze grew dark again and his hands wandered. "Any objections to wrapping this up and heading back?"

 

"Not at all," Laryn squeaked as she shook her head furiously. He chuckled and called for the waiter as she hopped off his lap and grabbed her shoes.

 

The walk back to the bungalow was much shorter as they hurried through the sexual tension, doing their best to keep their hands to themselves. This proved much more difficult for Sebastian, as his hand kept wandering past her back and down over her ass. She giggled and took off, sprinting the last several yards along the beach until she reached the door.

 

Since Seb had the key, she spun on her heel to find him not far behind, strutting toward her with purpose and smoldering flames behind his eyes as he chewed his lip. God, the sight of him in that suit gave her goosebumps and sent a white heat burning straight to her core. He grinned like mad as he reached her and grasped her arms, shoving her back against the door and claiming her mouth in a searing kiss. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue passed between her lips, tasting wine on her breath. She pulled his body against her by his suit jacket and hitched her leg over his hip, pulling a groan from the back of his throat that made her core tingle.

 

He fished the key from his pocket and fumbled with the lock, continuing his assault on her mouth as he flung the door open and pushed her inside, slamming the door shut with his foot.

 

Before Laryn could even try to rid him of some of his clothes, he was pushing her against the door again and lifting her by her thighs, his mouth beginning a torturous descent down her neck. She instinctually wrapped her legs around him and threw her head back, hitting the door with a dull _thunk_ as her chest heaved.

 

" _Fuck_ , Seb," she muttered as his mouth reached her collarbone. "I haven't told you what this suit does to me, have I?"

 

"Mmm," he hummed his response as he mouthed the swell of her breasts and began unhooking her corset.

 

"The second I saw you standing there wearing this," she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, "I almost had to put on panties."

 

Sebastian paused and looked up at her with wide eyes. "You're not wearing panties," he realized aloud. When she grinned mischievously and shook her head, he growled and locked his lips to hers again, holding her up as he carried her to the bed and tossed her onto it unceremoniously, drawing a squeal from her.

 

She raised up onto her knees at the end of the bed and crooked a finger at him, beckoning him to come closer. He toed his shoes from his feet and obliged as he loosened his tie and eyed her like a predator. He stopped when his knees hit the mattress and Laryn shoved his jacket off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

 

As she got to work on the buttons of his undershirt, he grew impatient and removed her hands, sending buttons flying as he _ripped_ it open and threw the offending garment off. "Fuck the undershirt, it can be replaced," he declared as he cradled the back of her head and pulled her to him, latching onto her neck as he worked the rest of the corset hooks loose. If that wasn't the single most sexy thing she had ever seen she didn't know what was.

 

She was unsure of what to do with her hands, so she settled for assisting with the corset hooks until it was completely undone. He peeled it back, letting free her breasts that made him salivate. He pushed her back until she hit the pillow and climbed over her, straddling her tiny waist as he took his tie from his neck and lifted her hands above her head, tying them to a sturdy bedhead post.

 

"Oh my God," Laryn hissed as she realized what was about to happen. She had shamelessly dreamed of this a million times.

 

Seb sat back on his haunches and admired his handiwork before climbing off the bed and shedding the rest of his clothes, leaving nothing to Laryn's imagination. She craned her neck to gawk at his god-lick physique as he climbed back up and began dragging her dress down past her wide hips and down her legs painfully slowly.

 

"At first, I couldn't decide if I wanted this on or off of you while I fuck you into the mattress," he mused, tossing the dress over his shoulder. "But now I have a better idea."

 

He climbed on top of her, spreading her legs wide with his knee and settling onto her as he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and kissed her oh so deeply. Even just kissing her made her see stars, his velvet tongue working her like magic. He tilted her chin only slightly to deepen the kiss, drawing moans and little mewls from her throat as she ground her pelvis into his searching for any kind of friction.

 

Moments later he was beginning his descent down her body, stopping at her breasts to make sure they got the attention they deserved. She squirmed beneath him as he sucked and nipped at her nipples, forming them into hard peaks before continuing down her stomach.

 

She fought against her restraints, despite being incredibly turned on by being tied down she hated not being able to touch him. He noticed this and smirked as his lips continued down one of her thighs and up the other.

 

Once he finally reached her core, she blushed as he pushed her thighs further apart and licked his lips hungrily as he gazed down at her exposed form. He leaned down and blew air on her, causing her to whine and thrust toward his face. He chuckled, placing his hand flat on her stomach and pushing her to the mattress as he tossed her leg over his shoulder and held it there with his other hand.

 

She was beginning to wonder if he would ever get on with it when she felt his tongue slide between her folds ever so slowly. She inhaled sharply and arched off the bed, struggling against the tie that held her hands in place. She felt him grin against her just before he dove in, completely devouring her. She writhed and screamed curses at the ceiling as his lips formed a seal around her and slowly slipped two fingers inside her. She stood at the edge, ready to spill over when he withdrew completely.

 

"What the--Seb no, I was so close!" she whined.

 

He grinned and tutted, cupping her heat and grinding circles with the heel of his hand. "I'm just getting started, sweetheart." And with that, he slipped his fingers into her again and curled them upward, pumping into her a little faster. He watched her in awe, the way she arched so beautifully and how her eyes fluttered shut as she drove her head into the pillow, his name on her lips like music.

 

When he withdrew a second time she nearly cried from how much her sex ached for him. " _Sebastian_ ," she cried as she attempted to clamp her thighs around his head.

 

"What is it, _draga_?" he purred before peppering kisses along her inner thigh. "Tell me what you want."

 

"P-please let me come," she begged through gritted teeth.

 

In a flash, he was hovering over her running his fingers through her hair soothingly and kissing her softly as he pushed his hips into her. He stopped only briefly, long enough to align himself with her and sheath himself within her completely. He groaned as he settled into her while she sighed with immense relief. After laying still for a moment, he began pumping into her at a steady pace, watching her face contort with pleasure.

 

He moved his gaze to the necklace he gave her and, without warning, untied his tie and released her wrists, abandoning his previous plan. Puzzled by his actions, Laryn went to question him but was cut short by him flipping them both on the bed.

 

Now he was sitting with his back against the bedhead with her straddling his thighs, and he looked into her shimmering green eyes with more love and adoration than she could ever dream of. She understood his silent request and lowered herself onto him, bracing herself against his broad shoulders as she began to rock. His head fell forward against her shoulder as he held her against him, laying kisses along her collarbone as she rode him.

 

Panting and declaring her love for him, she began to bounce faster and cried out when he bit down on her pulse point, digging her nails into his shoulder and causing him to moan loudly. Her walls fluttered around him as she tumbled over the edge and screamed to the ceiling before slumping against his chest.

 

"Hold on, baby, I'm almost there," Seb breathed into her ear as he gripped her hips and held her in place, slamming upward into her. Oversensitized, she almost couldn't handle it as she held onto his shoulders for dear life and pressed her forehead to his. Just a few more thrusts and he was bellowing her name and crashing into his own orgasm, falling against the pillows and bringing her with him.

 

As they lay in a sweaty tangled mess of limbs and sheets, he took her wrists and massaged the redness from the tie and kissed them softly, brushed her hair, whispered to her how much he loved her. She knew he didn't intentionally hurt her, her wrists didn't hurt that much at all; but the fact that he made a conscious effort to make sure she was comfortable warmed her heart and nearly brought tears to her eyes.

 

"Sebastian," she breathed, half-asleep.

 

"Yes, _printesa_."

 

"Thank you," she nuzzled into his side, hand splayed across his chest. "For everything."

 

He smiled and kissed her hair and tightened his embrace as they drifted off to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb and Laryn return from their trip, sexytimes ensue, Seb leaves to go film, aaaand A SURPRISE AT THE END!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg y'all I'm sorry it took me so long to update :( juggling two stories serves as a challenge for me while working fulltime and doing Christmas stuff. I'll try to update more regularly. Sooo here we are at chapter 16 :D I didn't ever think it would make it this far but I'm glad it has! I'm not really sure how long I want it to be though, so I'm wondering if I should wrap it up soon? Any suggestions or thoughts are welcome in the comments :D enjoy!

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The rest of the romantic getaway seemed to fly by in an instant for Laryn and Sebastian, and in just 5 days they were back in their apartment in New York. They were greeted by an over-excited pit bull and a scowling feline, the latter causing Laryn to fall into a fit of giggles at how comical Bucky the cat looked from his perch on the back of the sectional.

 

"I could use a week-long nap," Laryn sighed as she dropped her bags and collapsed on the couch.

 

Seb chuckled as he sat at the end of the couch and slipped her slip-ons from her feet. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to get some naps in the next couple weeks," he stated softly. "I have filming to do down south."

 

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," she forced herself to sit up and collapsed across his lap. "So much jetlag!" She whined shamelessly and slung her arm across her face dramatically.

 

"Oh speak for yourself, you big baby," Seb quipped, poking her sides and making her yelp. "I have to get on another plane tomorrow."

 

She peeked from under her arm and frowned. "I am being insensitive, aren't I? I'm sorry babe," she pouted and curled deeper into him, doing her best to snake her arms around him in their awkward position.

 

"You could come with me, you know," he ran his fingers soothingly through her short frizzy hair. "Nothing's stopping you."

 

"I have work though," she sat up and stretched. "I've missed too much already."

 

"Then quit! You know you don't need to work."

 

"Seb," she raised an eyebrow at him pointedly. "I can't not work, I would get bored and stir crazy and go out of my mind. Plus, I'm a bit too independent for my own good. And I like having walking around money."

 

"Yeah yeah," he smirked and leaned over to kiss her, which she reciprocated earnestly before he pulled back. "So, lazy day to ourselves before I leave tomorrow?"

 

"I dunno about being too lazy, I could be doing laundry," she mused before hopping up to lug their bags to the laundry room.

 

"I love how domestic and housewife-y you are," he cooed as he followed close behind her, gripping her hips with purpose when she stopped at the washer. "You have _no_ idea how much it turns me on," he purred gruffly against the shell of her ear, causing her to shiver.

 

She hummed and swiveled her hips as she yanked clothes from the bags and tossed them into the washer, making a point of glancing heatedly over her shoulder as she pushed her ass against his growing bulge. "You wanna watch me do chores, sugar?" she joked, her voice low and sultry as she gazed at him through long lashes.

 

"Don't be a tease, _frumoasa_ ," he groaned, snapping his hips forward roughly and making her giggle.

 

She spun in his arms and kissed him deeply, drawing his lip between her teeth before breaking away. "Why don't _you_ ," she fingered the collar of his shirt, trailing down the center where the buttons fastened, "order us some pizza and maybe open some wine," she paused at his bulge momentarily before grazing her long fingernails around it, "while _I_ finish the laundry, and then," she cupped it, pressing firmly and drawing a shaky moan from his lips, "I'll take good care of you, baby." She ended her sentence with a long and languid kiss, nearly giving in when he shoved her against the washer and almost managed to get his hand down the front of her pants before she lightly pushed him off. "Bad boy," she winked at him before finished filling and turned on the washer.

 

"You'll be the death of me," he whined as he undid his jeans with a wicked smirk and let them pool at his feet in front of her. "But two can play that game, sweetheart."

 

"What ever do you mean?" she asked, batting her lashes and feigning innocence.

 

He simply chuckled as he undid his shirt and pulled it off, leaving him only in his boxer briefs and socks, looking sexy as ever.

 

"Not gonna work, Stan," she called as she walked away toward the bedroom, though she had to bite her lip to suppress a moan.

 

He shook his head with a grin and wandered back into the living room to find his phone and call in a pizza order, unaware that Laryn had an ulterior motive to get him back at his own game.

 

Seb placed the pizza order and began flipping through Netflix when he heard her pad out of the bedroom. "Pizza's ordered," he said without looking away from the tv.

 

"Wonderful," she replied, making a point to walk in front of him rather than behind the couch. His eyes glued themselves to her the second she stepped into his peripheral until she planted herself at the opposute end of the couch, wearing only a bra and cheeky panties. "See something you like?" she asked playfully, her voice dripping with seduction.

 

It took Seb a minute to formulate a coherent thought after picking his jaw up off the floor. He felt as if falling to his knees and worshipping her would be the perfect kind of blasphemy, that God might understand. And he would always be this attracted to her. He raked his dark eyes over her body, noting that her skin seemed to glow a little more than usual.

 

"What's wrong, baby? Cat got your tongue?" she pressed, scooting a bit closer to him and placing her hand over his thigh.

 

He was about to reply with a witty comment about Bucky the cat not even being in the room at the moment when there was a knock at the door.

 

"Pizza!" Laryn squealed, launching herself from the couch and starting for the door.

 

" _Don't_ ," Seb began, curling his arm around her middle and pulling her backward, placing his lips at her ear, "even think about answering that door," he nipped at her earlobe before grabbing his shirt and pulling it back on as he went to answer the door. He tipped the delivery man and turned around, shutting the door with his foot, to find that Laryn was not at all done with her evil plan of  teasing the shit out of him as she had removed her bra. She lounged across the couch, arm draped on the back of it so he could see every detail. The glow of her skin, how her nipples had hardened from simply being exposed to the cool air, how dark and widely blown her pupils were.

 

" _Fffffuck_ ," he managed to hiss before setting the pizzas down on the entryway table and shedding every article of clothing that still remained. "You know exactly what you're doing," he purred, eyes narrowing as he let his shirt slide back off and stalked toward the couch.

 

"Aww Sebby, you haven't even opened the wine yet," she pouted playfully, letting her legs part slightly as the familiar heat pooled between them.

 

"Fuck the wine," he growled as he squeezed himself between her legs and settled there, grinding his pelvis into hers roughly, swallowing her whimpers as he invaded her mouth with his velvet tongue. As she clawed mindlessly at his back, he promptly climbed off her and moved to the end of the couch, smirking as he observed the wet spot of her panties.

 

Eyes wide in disbelief, she stammered as she tried to comprehend what happened before groaning and stomping over to the pizza, carrying them to the coffee table and dropping them there. She took one of the larger slices and glared at him as she ate, causing him to laugh. "You'll pay for that," she growled through several bites.

 

"Oh I'm sure," he agreed as he reached for a slice.

 

Dinner was spent in a very sexually tense silence, each of them constantly eyeing the other either suspiciously or lustfully with every intent to seductively break each other. Seb, for the most part, seemed to have the upper hand thus far, having caused her to ruin her panties with just a few grinds of his hips.

 

Laryn finished her third slice of pizza and promptly stood up, sauntering to the bathroom. Eyebrow cocked, Seb watched her with suspicion. He shook it off and went to the kitchen, suddenly remembering the wine and uncorking a bottle before grabbing a couple glasses and making his way back to the couch. He nearly dropped everything when his eyes landed on Laryn, standing in the middle of the room wearing the sexiest black and red lingerie he'd ever seen.

 

The bra was sheer mesh with lacy red hearts lining each cup and perfectly cradling her large breasts, while the tiny red panties left very little to the imagination. But that wasn't what his eyes lingered on the longest. She also wore garter belts which held in place sheer black stockings, and on her feet she wore his favorite heels of hers.

 

" _Draga mea_ ," he breathed, carefully setting the wine and glasses down on the bar before approaching her, already fully erect, "are you trying to kill me?"

 

She grinned as he attempted to snake his arms around her waist, only to have his hands batted away. "No touching," she purred after leaning in painfully close, almost touching her lips to his. "Sit," she gestured to the couch and he complied, taking the middle seat and watching her expectantly with dark, hungry eyes.

 

Her lace-lined hips swayed dramatically as she slinked over to him, dropping to her knees between his legs and sliding her fingers up his inner thighs, nearly making him moan from the slightest touch. "To be frank, I've been wondering how and when to give this to you," she breathed, grasping his thighs firmly and raising up to his level.

 

"Give me what?" he asked, his voice nearly cracking as he tried to contain his arousal.

 

"This dance, silly," she spun around and began to swivel her hips, slowly lowering herself into his lap and laying against him as she ground her ass down onto his erection. She dared a glance up at him and found his eyes screwed shut with his lip between his teeth. "Then you mentioned leaving tomorrow," she continued against his ear, "and I figured I should send you off with some excellent spank bank material."

 

She smiled and switched it up, standing facing him and blushing when he opened his eyes. "Watch," she commanded and he nodded immediately, knuckles white from gripping the couch cushions.

 

She began to roll her entire body, hands running down over her breasts and further down her flat tummy, teasing him by dipping her fingers into the front of her panties, moaning at the feeling of her own wetness. She continued to sway and swivel as she pushed his knees together and now straddled him.

 

As she inched her way down to a sitting position, she opened the front clasp on the bra, opening up to him and chewing her lip as she ground onto him and revelled in his facial expressions that gave away just how truly wrecked he already was.

 

She licked her lips wantonly and leaned forward, pressing her breasts against his heaving chest as he used every ounce of self control to not throw her onto the floor and take her, licked his ear and asked, "How do you want me, baby?"

 

He growled and bucked his hips harshly, causing her to bounce in his lap, which only prompted her to grind harder. She reached down to her garter belts and began undoing the clasps as he tried his damnedest not to rip everything off of her. It really was nice lingerie and he didn't want to ruin it.

 

She carefully stood and pushed her panties down over her hips, letting them fall to the ground before kicking them away. "Answer me," she demanded as she sank back down on his lap, the tip of his member grazing her sex and making them both shudder.

 

"Like this," he ground out through gritted teeth, eyes boring into hers.

 

She smirked and took his hands, placing them on her hips. "Then take me," she breathed.

 

Not a beat sooner, his fingers dug into her flesh hard enough to bruise as he pulled her body downward, slamming into her and making her cry out. She quickly recovered from the sudden intrusion and began to bounce vigorously on his lap, swiveling and making figure 8s with her hips.

 

He reached up, one hand went to her breast and the other tangled in her hair, pulling her to him and kissing the breath from her lungs. She returned the kiss sloppily as her fingers got lost in his hair and scratched his scalp lightly, causing goosebumps across his shoulders.

 

Their mouths parted and they rested their foreheads together, sharing oxygen as she lost herself in his eyes and his wandering hands. Through her haze of lust and ecstasy she watched his face, biting her lip when his eyes rolled back and he threw his head back as he moaned, admiring the way his throat moved. She couldn't stop herself from latching onto his neck, nipping and licking her way to behind his ear where she knew one of his weak spots lived.

 

As she neared her peak, she held herself in place by grasping his shoulders as she rocked her hips harder on him and her thighs began to quake. She threw her head back and cried out her pleasure to the ceiling as their hips stuttered together and her walls clenched like a vice grip, bringing him over the edge with her.

 

They collapsed together on the couch as they tried to catch their breaths. He sighed and pulled her into his chest, kissing her temple, nose, cheek, lips. "I'll _definitely_ remember that," he panted with a chuckle.

 

"I'll have some of that wine now," Laryn mumbled into his chest, drawing circles on his back with her fingertips.

 

He planted one last kiss to her temple before climbing off the couch and fetching the wine, laughing out loud upon returning. "You kept the heels on," he observed.

 

"Is that a complaint?" she asked cheekily, getting up to find her panties and slip them back on.

 

"Absolutely not," he replied dreamily, eyes growing cloudy again.

 

She giggled and took the wine and glasses from him when he zoned out, planting herself next to him on the couch and pouring two glasses. "To a successful filming period," she drawled, handing him a glass and raising hers.

 

After they clinked glasses and drank, she picked up her phone and tapped Instagram, meaning to go into her messages. "Crap..." she muttered, already frustrated with her slow and unreliable phone. When the social media app informed her of literally too many notifications and messages to count, she gasped.

 

"What?" Seb asked, leaning to get a look.

 

"I... Think I broke Instagram," she said.

 

She began scrolling through her messages first, most of them from fans of Sebastian gushing about how lucky she is to be dating him, a few that stooped as low as to call her names and make threats. She rolled her eyes, but Seb caught a glimpse and wouldn't let it go.

 

"Are you fucking _kidding me_?" he exclaimed, whipping out his phone.

 

"Babe, just leave it--"

 

"No, this isn't okay," he waved her off, opening the app on his phone. "Hold on, I need a picture of us to upload," he pulled her to him and went to snap a photo, but she pulled away.

 

"Oh my God Seb, at least let me put on a shirt," she squealed as she dove from the couch and picked up his button down from earlier, pulling it on and doing a few buttons. "Okay," she plopped back down to find his face lit up with a cheeky smile. "Oh God, what?" she groaned. He held his phone up and revealed a picture taken just seconds ago of her panty-clad ass as she bent over to pick up his shirt. "Don't post that," she said pointedly before leaning against him for a photo.

 

He leaned in and smooched her cheek as he snapped the photo, admiring it with a smile. He then went to typing what seemed like an entire novel before hitting Share.

 

"What did you say?" Laryn asked curiously.

 

"Just that nobody has any business speaking ill of you, and if they have anything to say they can say it to me or keep it to themselves," he replied flatly.

 

Her eyes softened as she smiled up at him, sighing and laying her head on his shoulder. "What am I gonna do while you're gone besides work?"

 

"You know you can have friends over," he pointed out, yanking the throw blanket off the back of the couch and tossing it over them. "I'm not gonna tell you that you can't."

 

She nodded, suddenly growing depressed over the fact that she would be alone for two weeks, but calming herself internally by remembering that he'd be back.

 

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Laryn stood with Sebastian at the airport the next morning, almost refusing to let him go.

 

"Please come with me," Seb pleaded softly into her hair, nearly making her burst into tears right there.

 

"I can't," she put simply. She really couldn't. She missed so much work already and she didn't want to lose the best job she'd ever had.

 

"I know," he sighed, releasing her. He looked into the watery eyes of his lover and kissed her firmly, ignoring the flashes of cameras that surrounded them. Laryn didn't care about them either. _Let them see._

 

They broke apart and he picked up bag, taking her hand in his. "I'll be back before you know it," he smiled sweetly and gave her one last kiss. "I love you, _printesa_."

 

"I love you," Laryn echoed with a sad smile before he turned and walked towards security. She watched him until he was completely out of sight before leaving the airport herself. 

 

It took her longer than usual to get home due to traffic, but she immediately found herself crumbling onto the couch in tears. She felt silly for crying so hard and wondered what suddenly came over her; he'll be back in two weeks, it's not as if he's being shipped off to war.

 

Feeling her stomach growl at her, she decided upon eating something. She swiped at her cheeks as she walked into the kitchen and pulled eggs and bacon from the fridge, deciding on breakfast tacos. As she lined her giant frying pan with thick strips of bacon, she leaned against the opposite counter and furerowed her brow. _I feel weird... What the hell--_

 

The sound of sizzling bacon and its delicious aroma filled the air in the kitchen. At least it _should_ smell delicious. But Laryn stood for a second longer and inhaled the scent, overcome a minute later by the strong urge to throw up. She slapped a hand to her mouth and sprinted to the bathroom, falling over the toilet and emptying her already empty stomach.

 

_What the fuck?_ She racked her brain for any sick symptoms she should be feeling, but none came to mind. _Must be a stomach bug... Maybe I shouldn't eat._ She padded back into the kitchen to tend to the cooking food, but nearly dry heaved onto the floor as soon as the smell of bacon hit her nose again. 

 

"Why is this happening?!" she screamed at no one in particular, however Bucky the cat had been perched on one of the dining chairs and gave her an unemotional look after her outburst. She managed to get the stove burner turned off and sat down without getting sick again. 

 

"I'm not sick. I haven't eaten anything bad. My period was... Was--" She stopped. Her eyes popped wide open and her jaw dropped.

 

_Oh fuck._


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn gets some... Unsettling news and is perplexed on how to handle it, and some things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :D so sorry for my absence, I haven't forgotten about my story! The holidays just took time away and I'm juggling two stories :) this one is rather angsty. Enjoy!

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"Thanks so much for going with me," Laryn panted as she walked briskly to the nearest pharmacy with Natalie, her new friend from the salon, their heels clicking loudly on the pavement. After days spent panicking, she finally decided she should take the dreaded pregnancy test. "All my family is back home and Seb is out of town, I just don't have anyone else t--"

 

"Honestly, think nothing of it," Natalie chirped as she looped her arm through Laryn's and squeezed her forearm reassuringly with the opposite hand.

 

Laryn smiled, positively _thrilled_ that she finally had a girl friend in the area to confide in. It took a little bit for her to get settled in and accustomed to her new surroundings, but making a friend finally allowed her to get out more while Sebastian was away on business.

 

Her stomach dropped the second the pharmacy came into view. She always dreamed of having children, but as she and Seb had only been together a couple months and she had no intention of discussing the possibility of parenthood with him anytime soon, she was understandably terrified. What would he say? What would happen to their perfect little world?

 

"I got you, girl, you're gonna be fine," Natalie cooed sweetly, rubbing her arm as she walked Laryn through the automatic door. _I fucking hope so._

 

They walked up six different aisles before finally locating the wall of assorted pregnancy tests. "Okay, which one should I get?" Laryn thought out loud, combing a hand through her breeze-touseled hair exasperatedly.

 

"I would get several, just to be sure," Natalie suggested quietly.

 

"Yeah... Yeah," Laryn sighed shakily as she began plucking one of each brand from the shelves and handing some to the petite blonde next to her. They carried them to the cashier, paid, and hurried out of the store after answering about ten uncomfortable questions from the elderly woman that rang them up.

 

Minutes later, they were stepping off the elevator and walking to the apartment that Laryn and Seb shared, this being the first time Natalie was getting to see it after promising Laryn she wouldn't be some creepy stalker Seb fan. "You can trust me, sweetie," she assured Laryn.

 

Upon reaching the front door, Laryn struggled to pull the keys from her purse and nearly dropped her bag of tests and burst into tears before Natalie took the bag from her and helped calm her early pregnancy-driven emotional state. They entered the apartment and, after being bombarded by an overexcited Leeloo for bringing her a new human and saying hello to an uninterested Bucky the cat, sat in the living room and dumped the tests out across the coffee table and began sifting through them.

 

Before she even realized it, Laryn was swiping at tears furiously. "I'm scared," she breathed to the woman next to her, her plump bottom lip quivering as more fat tears slid down her wind-bitten cheeks.

 

Natalie frowned and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Everything is gonna be just fine, hon. You never know... Maybe he'll be super excited and happy!"

 

Laryn laughed almost bitterly, wiping her cheeks dry and shaking her head. "His career just blew the fuck up, he has about a million movies to film the next couple years. I'm sure having children is the very last thing on his to-do list."

 

"And you know what? He's a super likable guy, I'm sure he could find a way to bring you and the baby everywhere so he won't be too absent."

 

Laryn shrugged and yanked her coat off. "Let's get this over with." She picked up an armful of tests and went to the guest bathroom. Lucky for her, she guzzled down about four bottles of water just that morning to prepare her bladder.

 

She spent the next several minutes peeing on stick after dreaded stick and set them in their own solitary paper cups. "The moment of truth," she stated as she pushed the door open to a patiently waiting Natalie. She hadn't looked at any of the tests until she used them all.

 

She plucked one from a cup, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. She turned her gaze down to the test in her hand and stared at it for what felt like an eternity, her stomach churning at the tiny blue smiley face in the little screen on the stick. "No... _No_..." she slammed the test down on the sink counter and swiped another from its cup, shaking her head furiously at the word "pregnant" on that particular stick. She wailed when she picked up a third test and it told her the same result. Natalie stood in the doorway, brows furrowed and hand over her mouth as she struggled to find something to say. "Laryn, I..."

 

Laryn threw her hands up in defeat and marched out of the bathroom to the kitchen. Suddenly realizing that she had no appetite, she simply paced back and forth. "What the fuck am I gonna do?!" she almost screamed as she went to grab an open bottle of wine, but recoiled her arm. "Wait, fuck, I can't drink! _FUCK_!" She resorted to sliding down to the floor against the cabinets and laying her head in her hands.

 

Natalie rounded the corner into the kitchen apprehensively, holding out a box of chocolates as an offering. "Here, you should eat something, and what better something to bring you comfort than chocolate?"

 

Laryn sniffled and took the box, pulling the lid off and plucking a cream-filled square into her mouth. She sighed contentedly and let her head fall back against the cabinet. After spending a minute savoring the candy, she looked down at her still-flat abdomen and placed her hand across it. "I don't know if I'm ready to be a mom... But I'm not about to have an abortion," she confessed. "I just gotta figure out how to break the news to Seb."

 

"When will he be back?" Natalie asked.

 

"About five days. There's no way I'm telling him over the phone. That wouldn't be right."

 

As if on queue, her phone rang from the living room. She jumped to her feet and ran to pick it up. "Hello?" she answered, not bothering to look at the call id.

 

"Good morning, _printesa mea_ ," Seb's familiar sexy voice dripped through the receiver, causing her heart to thunder in her chest. "I have a few minutes before my meeting so I thought I'd listen to your voice for the time being."

 

His words wouldn't normally bring out her emotional side unless he was being sickeningly sweet, but her raging hormones immediately brought on the waterworks. "How is the filming going?" she asked, trying to mask her quivering voice.

 

"It's alright," he replied, catching the crack in her voice. "Is something wrong?"

 

_God dammit, nothing gets by this man._ "Yeah, I just... Have a migraine and it won't go away." She eyed Natalie with a horrified look; all Natalie could muster was a shrug and a look that said "you're on your own, girl".

 

" _Biet copil_ ," Sebastian purred through the phone, and god damn if he didn't get her all hot and bothered from just speaking two words in his native tongue even when she's having the emotional meltdown of her life. "I have some headache pills in my bedside drawer, go take some and lie down."

 

"I'll do that," Laryn said with a shaky sigh as she sank down onto the couch next to the sleeping cat. "God, I miss you."

 

"I always miss you, _dragă_. But it makes for a better homecoming." She could practically hear his eyebrows wiggling suggestively and couldn't stifle the giggle that bubbled from her lips. "Your laugh is like music, sweetheart. Maybe next time you should just come with me."

 

Her heart sank at those last few words. _He's not gonna want me at all once I tell him..._ "So you're coming home in what, five days?" she changed the subject to avoid turning into a blubbering mess again.

 

"That's Saturday? Yeah, that's right," he replied slowly, suddenly distracted. "I have to go, business calls. I'll call you tonight, doll. I love you."

 

" _Te iubesc_ ," Laryn cooed. She couldn't help herself.

 

"You've been practicing!" Seb exclaimed, clearly excited to hear that his girl was learning Romanian for him. "You have no idea how sexy you are," his voice dropped and suddenly became husky, dripping sexy and making Laryn need to clench her thighs together. "We'll finish this tonight, _dragă mea_."

 

"Until then," Laryn purred and ended the call before thrusting herself backward into the cushions and exhaling harshly. "I hate lying to him!" she shouted at Bucky the cat, who was startled out of sleep by his human's outburst and glared at her before turning around and settling back onto the cushion. Laryn rolled her eyes and scratched the top of his head.

 

She turned her gaze to Natalie, who had a dreamy look in her eyes. "I still can't believe you're dating Bucky Barnes, I would constantly be beside myself," the blonde confessed with a sigh.

 

"Yeah," Laryn agreed softly. "And now I'm carrying his child..." She rubbed her nonexistent belly.

 

"I can tell you right now with complete confidence, that's gonna be the most beautiful baby on earth," Natalie declared as she sat in the platform rocker.

 

Laryn smiled. She knew that. After all, its father is undoubtedly the sexiest man alive, and she wasn't so bad looking herself. The only predicament at the present time was how to tell Sebastian that he is going to be a father.

 

***************************************

 

That night, Laryn stepped out of the shower and dried off before slipping a sheer nightie over her head. Since she would be without a period for the next several months, she may as well make the most of it and wear her nice underwear to her heart's content.

 

She was traipsing around the apartment flipping all the lights off, preparing for bed when Sebastian facetimed her. She smiled and ran to her ipad that had been waiting at the end of the bed for his call.

 

"Hey there handsome," she chirped as she answered his call.

 

"Hi doll," he purred as he admired her attire. "You she-devil, dressing all sexy for me." His eyes darkened as he drew his lip between his teeth.

 

"Just for you, my love," she cooed, climbing onto their shared bed and propping up the ipad before sitting on all fours.

 

Seb's eyebrows shot up. "Am I about to get a show?" he grinned widely as he whipped his shirt off over his head and tossed it somewhere behind him.

 

"Maybe," Laryn replied, cupping her breasts and running them up her chest to her shoulders before sliding a strap of her nightie down suggestively as she bit her lip. "I'm assuming you're alone?"

 

"Unfortunately," he drawled. "Though I wish you were here with me so I could ravish you properly."

 

"Mmm, tell me what you'd do to me, baby," she purred as she pulled her nightie down, exposing her breasts to him. "...in detail, please." She punctuated her request by batting her eyes.

 

Seb spent several seconds staring at his girl with his mouth agape as she fondled herself for him before snapping out of it. He leaned back in his chair and smirked. "First, I would spend way too long undressing you," he began. "Agonizingly slowly, just to torture you and to see how wet I could get you before touching you."

 

"Go on," she urged as she tweaked her already hard nipples.

 

"I would restrain you, because my girl likes to be kinky sometimes. Then I'd work that spot behind your ear, the one that makes you squirm, and lick my way down to your amazing breasts," he paused and licked his lips when she tossed her head back and sighed. He gulped and pulled his achingly hard member from his boxers, pumping it slowly. "I'd suck your nipples raw until they could cut glass."

 

"Fuck yeah, baby," she moaned as she ran her hands down her stomach to her dripping sex, lifting up the skirt of her nightie to show him just how he made her feel.

 

" _Fuck_ ," he mouthed as he pumped his erection harder. "I would lick my way to your hot, dripping pussy and lap you up til you come all over my face."

 

"Keep going," she breathed, having already began to rub herself and not expecting him to be so graphic with his vocabulary, but she wouldn't deny that it turned her on more.

 

Seb threw his head back and groaned. "God I need you, baby," he moaned before turning back to his screen. "I'd climb over you, wrap your legs around me and fuck you so god damn hard, baby," he was nearing his peak as he pumped himself furiously.

 

"Yes, fuck yes," she keened as she shoved two slender fingers inside of her and curled them upward, just grazing her g-spot. "Only for you, Sebastian, oh God I'm--"

 

She cried out his name as she climaxed, doing her best to keep her position on the bed so he could see it all.

 

Seb moaned obscenely loud as he came onto his abs and slid downward in his chair, totally spent. "Fuck, that was the best facetime sex I've ever had," he chuckled as he found some tissues to clean himself up with.

 

Laryn had collapsed in a heap onto the pillows and had to put in extra effort to sit up. "Hurry up and come home," she pouted at him. "I need the real thing. My hand just isn't as good."

 

Seb laughed and shook his head. "Just a couple more days and I'll be home, _dragă_." When Laryn yawned and laid back onto the pillows, he smiled warmly and decided to let her sleep. "I'm gonna go to bed, doll. Get some sleep. Glad your headache went away."

 

"Huh... Oh, right. Yeah, I'm feeling better," she smiled sweetly and blew a kiss. "Goodnight, sugar."

 

"Goodnight, _frumoasa_ ," he winked and disappeared, having ended the call. Laryn sighed and set the ipad on her bedside table, turned off her lamp and settled into the warm bed. It didn't take her long to drift off to sleep.

 

***************************************

 

_"I'm home, sweetheart," Seb called as he entered their apartment and dropped his luggage, all smiles and sunshine._

 

_Laryn was in the kitchen cooking an extravagant meal for her man and she nearly dropped the skillet as she ran to greet him at the door. "Oh my God I've missed you!" she exclaimed as she leapt into his open arms and kissed him deeply. "I'm so glad you're home, I actually have something important I need to tell you."_

 

_"Oh?" he smirked coyly as he released her and she led him to the dining room._

 

_"Dinner's almost ready, why don't you have a seat and pour yourself a glass of wine?" she smiled sweetly and bounced off into the kitchen to fetch the dishes of piping hot food._

 

_"Man, they really worked me on set these past couple weeks," he sighed as he poured two glasses instead of just one, unaware that she would not be drinking it. "I'm so ready to unwind and be lazy with my woman."_

 

_"Me too, sugar," she purred into his ear and gave the lobe a playful nip as she set dishes on the table and took her seat._

 

_"Trying to get me horny on an empty stomach?" he asked with a sexy wink as he slid a wine glass to her. "Let's make this a two-person celebration."_

 

_She smiled and looked away nervously. "That's... Actually what I wanted to discuss..." she stole a glance at him to find a confused expression gracing his features. "I--uhh, I can't drink alcohol for a while..."_

 

_"And why is th--" he paused when he noticed her put a hand over her abdomen and his eyes grew wide with panic. "You're not--"_

 

_She nodded with a small smile. "Surprise," she muttered sheepishly and raised her glass of water._

 

_His expression didn't change and her heart dropped into her stomach. "No... No, you can't be. How could you do this to me?!" he stood and quickly backed away from the table._

 

_Tears began welling up in her eyes as she struggled to stay calm. "Seb, pregnancy is a two-way street, this is just as much your doing as it is mine."_

 

_"No, this is a fucking disaster, my career is just taking off and you drop this on me?" His eyes grew angry. "I can't... I can't do this, Laryn. This will ruin everything!"_

 

_Laryn's breath caught in her throat as she stood to approach him, but he threw his hands up to stop her. "Sebastian, what are you saying?"_

 

_"I think it's best if you moved out," he said coldly, looking away from her._

 

_"Seb, baby, no... We can make this work!" she sobbed as the tears flowed freely down her rosy cheeks._

 

_"No, we can't. Please, go." He huffed and marched off to their--his bedroom, leaving her a shaking crying mess in the dining room._

 

_She stood there for what felt like forever, hugging herself as she collapsed in a heap to the floor and wailed._

 

Laryn shot up in their bed, pouring sweat and... _Are those real tears?!_ She looked around the room to realize it was just a dream. She sighed heavily and fell back to the pillow. As she blinked tears away she glanced at her bedside table at a framed photo of them together in the Maldives. She took it and hugged it to her chest as she sobbed quietly and curled in on herself. 

 

_Please don't leave me._


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb returns home and a talk ensues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo! :) so I know I left the last chapter at a bit of a cliffhanger, but that ache will be eased and let the feels flow freely! :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next few days flew by in a blur; Laryn spent them in a giant cycle of not eating, praying to the porcelain gods, thanking the heavens that she wasn't photographed buying pregnancy tests, and getting very little sleep. Sebastian called fairly infrequently during these last few days, understandably busy.

 

Saturday, however, was finally here... The day he would return home. Laryn couldn't find the motivation to do anything but lay on the couch and binge on Netflix. Thankfully, there was no cleaning to be done since she spent most of her time in bed, even having to call in sick at work. She began to worry abput her employment status until Friday morning, when her manager called to inform her that she had simply missed too much work and that they would be seeking a replacement.

 

This particular morning had been a rough one, considering she now had two rather important news bulletins for Seb once he arrived. She moved from the bed to the couch around 7am, unable to sleep, when she received a text:

 

S: _Morning, beautiful. Landing around 11:30 and catching a cab. See you soon._

 

_Okay... Is that AM or PM?_ Laryn wondered as she rubbed the sleep (or lack thereof) from her eyes and sluggishly began typing a reply and hit send. With a heavy sigh, she sat up and tossed her phone onto the coffee table, stretching her legs across the couch and dragging her groggy self to the kitchen. She started a pot of coffee in a haze as she muddled through the events of the last two weeks and tried to make sense of it all. She was so deep in the caverns of her mind that she missed another text from Seb, informing her that he caught an earlier flight and therefore he would be arriving earlier than previously thought.

 

She tried to shake the constant feeling of dread that loomed over her as she made herself a cup of coffee, padded back to the couch, and curled back up under her heavy blanket as she started a new movie and actually managed to fall asleep.

 

The sound of the front door opening hadn't even roused her, so when Sebastian entered their apartment he was greeted by a sleepy Leeloo and the sight of his lover splayed out across the couch, hair delightfully messy and mouth agape, snoring lightly. He was about to smile when he took notice of the dark rings under her seemingly puffy eyes. Now turning his lips into a deep frown, he dropped his bags at the door and went to the couch, sitting on the edge and placing a heavy hand on her blanketed thigh.

 

His touch startled her from sleep, causing her to jump and nearly fall off the couch. "Whoa, it's just me," Seb chuckled, catching her before she could slide to the floor.

 

Laryn laughed nervously and swiped a hand down her face as she crawled into his lap and slinked her arms around him. "God, I missed you," she mumbled into his chest before breathing deeply, taking in his scent and sighing.

 

"I missed you more, _printesa_ ," he replied as he tried to smooth her hair down and kissed her forehead, lifting her chin and studying her face with furrowed brows. "I mean this with all the love in the world, but you look terrible." He cupped her face and ran his thumbs underneath her eyes, as if to make the dark circles magically disappear. "What's wrong?"

 

To put it bluntly, Laryn had always been emotional. _Very_ emotional. As in she was born with a chemical imbalance and sometimes couldn't control her emotions. This moment was one of those times. She looked deep into his steel-gray eyes and grasped his wrists with shaky hands, her proverbial levee breaking completely as tears began to roll freely down her flushed cheeks.

 

If there had been some kind of award for Most Heartbroken Facial Expression, Seb would have won it. As his heart dropped into his stomach, not quite sure what he should be worried about, he wrapped himself around her crying form and stroked her hair, whispered in her ear how much he loved her, begged her to stop crying and tell him what happened. She pulled herself from his embrace and tried to calm her nerves, sobs sending quivers through her body.

 

"Please," Seb took her hands and pleaded with watery eyes, "you're kinda scaring me now..."

 

Laryn nodded as she regulated her breathing and stared at her lap. "Well... I... I got fired yesterday..."

 

"Oh," Seb dropped his shoulders, relaxing a little. "That's all? You know I don't mind you not working, I can take care of you."

 

Laryn pinched her eyes shut, dreading the worst. "That's not all..." More fat tears slipped down her face as she opened her eyes wide. Then her stomach turned... _Hard_. "Shit..." She slapped a hand over her mouth and launched herself from the couch, making for the hallway bathroom and slamming the door behind her.

 

As she emptied her mostly empty stomach, she heard light rapping on the door. "Sweetheart, do you need anything?" Seb asked through the door. God, what an angel. "Do you wanna go to the doctor?"

 

Laryn sat on the floor for a minute and wiped her mouth while Seb waited on the other side of the door. She slowly stood and rinsed her mouth with mouthwash before her eyes fell on her pregnancy tests, still sitting out in a cup, all revealing the painful truth. Sighing and steeling herself, she took them in her trembling hand and turned to the closed door, resting her forehead against it. "Sebastian, I... I've been trying to figure out how to tell you this all week. This will change everything, and I don't want to lose you..."

 

"What?" he gasped from the other side of the door. "I think you might be overreacting Laryn, what could possibly--"

 

She swung the door open and gazed up at his worried features with puffy bloodshot eyes and held out her hand.

 

He looked down and his jaw dropped as he took the tests from her, inspecting each one over and over again. "I'm so sorry, Seb, I just had no idea how to tell you and you have your career to think about and you're so busy and how could I ruin everything for you and expect you t--"

 

"This is why you look like you haven't eaten in days?" he whispered, eyes wide and more watery than before.

 

She nodded as she tried to contain more sobs and covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry," she croaked out.

 

He took her hands from her face and pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers and wiping her tears. She nearly crumbled to the floor as waves of immense relief washed over her, having to cling to his biceps for support. Once he pulled away he pressed his forehead to hers and cradled her face. "Why would you think you would lose me because of this?"

 

"I don't know," she began, letting out a shaky breath, "you just landed all these roles so you're gonna be super busy, and I didn't think you'd want a kid..." She looked at her feet and mentally prepared herself for the worst.

 

"Well, it wasn't exactly first on my agenda, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna leave you." He lifted her face and when she looked up she found him crying.

 

"Aren't I the one that's supposed to be all hormonal?" she teased as she gripped his shirt at his sides and smiled.

 

He laughed and kissed her more deeply, tangling one hand in her hair and the other grasping her hip as he pulled her impossibly close. She smiled as she kissed him back, all of her fears melting away and leaving her with butterflies and a glow that could serve as a spotlight.

 

Seb stepped back and kneeled before her, lifting her shirt and placing gentle kisses to her exposed stomach as his long fingers grazed featherlight over her skin. "Hey in there, this is your daddy," he cooed softly against her tummy, drawing a giggle from her as she ran her hands through his thick hair, "don't mind mommy, she's a little crazy." He chuckled when Laryn playfully smacked his shoulder. "Whatever you heard, about me not wanting you, it wasn't true. In fact, I already love you _so_ much." He placed one last kiss just below her belly button before standing again. "Feel better?" he asked as he peppered kisses along her jawline up to her ear.

 

She nodded, trying to ignore how unbelievably horny she was getting. "I'm sorry I was so freaked out... I just didn't know what to think," she breathed, her hands fisting tightly into his shirt when he reached that spot behind her ear and licked it, causing her knees to shake.

 

"You don't have to apologise," he purred before hoisting her up and carrying her to the bedroom. "Personally, I'm already imagining you with that big round belly and swollen tits, skin glowing," he dropped her on the bed and started unbuttoning his shirt, gaze simply _smoldering_ as he looked her up and down.

 

Laryn rose to her knees and stilled his hands. "Are you sure this is what you want?" she pressed.

 

He smiled and popped the last button loose, letting the garment pool around his feet on the floor. "As long as I have you, doll, I'm the luckiest man on earth." He toed his shoes off and pushed her down onto the bed as he climbed over her and drove his hips into hers roughly, causing her to moan loudly. "The fact that you're pregnant with my child is just a huge plus, planned or not." He slotted his mouth over hers, licking hungrily into her open mouth as he pushed her spread thighs down into the mattress, widening them more and grinding his hardening length along her barely covered sex through his jeans.

 

" _Fuck_ , I've never been this horny in my life," she hissed when he moved his mouth to her neck.

 

He chuckled in between wet kisses and nips. "Probably all those crazy hormones," he muttered into her heated flesh as he worked his way down to her collarbone and yanked her shirt over her head. "I'm not complaining," he added, eyes lit up and full of mirth as he placed a chaste kiss to her lips before returning to her chest, nipping a trail to one hardened nipple. She gasped and moaned as he sucked it between his kiss-swollen lips, swirling his tongue around the erect peak before grazing his teeth over it and switching to the other breast.

 

"Fuuuuck, Sebastian," she groaned, snapping her hips roughly and earning a soft moan against her breast before he continued his descent.

 

As he reached her tiny sleep shorts, he slid them and her soaked panties down her legs and placed a kiss to her sex, making her jump with anticipation. "Maybe, given the circumstances, you should start calling me daddy," he purred as he met her gaze and winked.

 

"Very funn--" her statement transformed into a high-pitched keen as he spread her thighs more and licked between her folds. Her hands flew to his hair at lightning speed as she held him there and bucked her hips into his face and moaned out a string of curses at how overly sensitive she had become.

 

Her walls clenched and pulsated around his tongue as he massaged her bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb, moaning into her core as she climbed to her peak. As he moved his magic tongue from her entrance to her clit and wrapped his lips around it, he slid two digits into her and curled them upward, smirking around her as she arched completely off the bed and screamed his name, gushing onto his hand and chin.

 

He stood and wiped his mouth, breathing out a satisfied sigh as he gazed upon the mother of his unborn child, chest heaving, skin shimmering with sweat, and completely wrecked for him. His eyes darkened as he undid his jeans and shoved them down his legs with his boxer briefs, donning only his socks as he climbed over her and kissed her deeply, grinding his fully hardened member against her core and earning a whimper.

 

"No matter what happens, baby, I love you," he breathed against her lips as he aligned himself with her entrance and teased it with the tip, rubbing it back and forth along her folds.

 

"I love you so much," she panted, adding a whimper as he pushed into her to the hilt and stilled himself. He brushed her sweaty hair from her face and bit his lip as he took a minute to observe every tiny detail of her face before pulling out almost completely and plunging back in, covering her mouth with his to swallow her moans and mewls.

 

He slowly built up to a steady pace, determined to draw this time out as much as he possibly could. He hadn't expected to come home and find her pregnant, but he couldn't contain his joy and wanted to really take care of the woman giving him a child.

 

As their tangled bodies slid against each other, something happened. They both realized at that moment that the other was "the one". As this occurred to Laryn, in a moment of pure unbridled passion, she hooked her legs over his hips and flipped them, now riding him as she ran her hands over his heaving chest and kissed every part of him that she could reach. When she reached his lips, he moved his hands from her hips up her sides and to her neck, brushing her hair back as his eyes seemed to light up and dilate at the same time. She held onto his arms and bounced faster in his lap, her breathing becoming labored as she watched his eyes roll back and jaw clench, quickly approaching the edge.

 

His eyes snapped open as he lurched upward to a sitting position and wrapped her legs around his waist as he thrust up into her, slowly but with every ounce of power he could muster behind each snap of his hips, coming undone beneath her as he watched her careen over the edge and toss her head back in pure ecstasy, each howling the other's name like a prayer as they crashed into their orgasms together.

 

As she collapsed into his chest and they tried to catch their breaths, Laryn wondered what the hell she was so worried about and thanked God that He brought her to New York and into Sebastian's loving arms. She smiled and leaned up to kiss his jaw as he hugged her tighter. "So you're really happy about all this?" she asked between kisses.

 

"Of course, I'm ecstatic," he replied as if he couldn't believe she would ask such a thing. "The only downside is I can't get you drunk for a while," he ended his statement with a smirk and a loud smacking kiss to her forehead.

 

"God, what did I do to deserve you?" she wondered aloud, tracing her fingertips over the dips and hard ridges of his abs, giggling when they twitched beneath her caresses.

 

"I should be asking that question," he chuckled, straining to pull the sheets over them without making her move. "And now you're giving me a baby."

 

She craned her neck to look at his face and found him beaming with pride and so much love that she could kick herself for ever thinking he would feel any different. She cupped his cheek and pressed her lips to his before settling back onto his chest. "So I guess this means I'll start going with you on work trips and stuff," she mused.

 

"Are you kidding me? I'm not letting you out of my sight," he scoffed as he ran his hand up and down her back. "Speaking of which... I have a charity gala to attend in a couple weeks and I feel like I've been hiding you... Why don't we find you the most stunning gown ever and you go with me?"

 

She shot up with her jaw dropped and stared at him in shock. "Are you serious? Like, red carpet and all that?"

 

"Yeah. I mean, I've been going to all these things alone for a while. It'll be nice to have a beautiful woman on my arm again, and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather take as my date."

 

She blushed and nodded, and Seb thought to himself that he would spend the rest of his life making her blush and be the happiest man in the world. "I think I should see an OB first," she pointed out.

 

He smiled and placed his hand over her abdomen, caressing it lightly. "Everything will work out, sweetheart. I'm sorry that you were so worried."

 

"That's my own fault," she sighed as she laid back down and hooked a leg around his. "I've always been the queen of worrying and being stressed out."

 

"Well we'll have to work on that," he cooed before kissing her ear. "Too much stress can be bad for the baby."

 

"Mmm," she hummed her agreement as she fought sleep. "What are you hoping for, a boy or girl?"

 

"As long as it's healthy, it doesn't matter to me."

 

"Yeah... I wouldn't mind having a girl, though." She stole a glance at his smirking face before sitting up and stretching. "I should call my parents and give them the news."

 

"Yeah, me too. My mom's gonna be so excited," he huffed out a laugh as he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and went to the dresser to root for clean clothes.

 

Laryn watched as he yanked on a clean pair of boxer briefs and left the bedroom in search of his phone before collapsing back onto the pillows in pure bliss. She smiled and imagined what life with a baby, _Sebastian Stan's baby,_ would be like; whether it would look like him or herself, how fun it would be to travel the world with her little family, how great of a father Seb would be. Nothing could wipe that smile from her face, because she knew in her heart that she finally found true happiness.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn meets Sebby's mom and important things are said... And realized ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg y'all I'm so sorry for the delay in podting. Honestly I was having difficulties figuring out where I want this story to go and how much longer I wanna keep it up, but I have successfully evaded the dreaded writer's block and have a new chapter for y'all :D enjoy! Also if anyone has any ideas or suggestions I'm more than willing to accept criticism, maybe add some more plot points. Comments are most welcome! :)

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"Alright, this will be a little cold," the sweet elderly ultrasound tech chimed as she prepared to spread the frigid jelly over Laryn's tummy. Laryn nodded nervously, but still jumped near off the exam table when the jelly touched her skin.

 

"You weren't kidding," she muttered with a smile, drawing a deep chuckle from behind her.

 

"I'm sure we can find a way to warm you back up when we get home," Sebastian purred against her ear. She batted him away playfully as she bit her lip to stifle a moan. He smiled warmly at her unintentional habit of being adorable and kissed her temple, and she leaned into it as he laced his fingers with hers while they watched the ultrasound monitor as the tech glided the transducer over her tummy.

 

"There's Baby," she chirped, pointing to a rather small blob of white on the screen. Laryn gazed at the screen in awe and grew teary-eyed as she glanced back at Seb, who was positively beaming. "Judging by size, I'd say you're right at seven weeks. I've got a packet of information here for both of you to read and I'll write up a prescription for prenatal vitamins. Congratulations, Mom and Dad!"

 

Laryn got cleaned up and they collected their things, making for the pharmacy as they left the clinic. "Your hair is more frizzy than usual," Seb noted with a smirk as he tried to smooth her poofy locks down.

 

"It's this shitty weather," Laryn declared, grimacing at the dense fog that hung over the city. She yanked her R2D2 beanie from her bag and pulled it over her head. Her hair had already begun to grow back unusually quickly, considering the last time she cut her hair before her incident with her ex had been years ago. Now it brushed her shoulders as it was mashed down by her hat.

 

They dropped off her prescription and picked up some lunch before heading back home, walking at a leisurely pace as they were in no rush. "You're coming with me this time, right?" Seb asked, referring to his next filming stint that began in just a few days.

 

"I don't know," Laryn drawled, pretending to think real hard as if something was keeping her from saying yes. Seb raised a suspicious eyebrow, drawing a hearty laugh from her. "Of course I'm going. You're not letting me out of your sight, remember?" She took his hand and hugged his arm into her side.

 

"Damn right, I'm not," he said pointedly as he placed a chaste kiss to her cheek.

 

"Maybe Scarlett will bring Rose and I can babysit her, that way I'd have something to do and I can practice," she mused, using air quotes for "practice".

 

"I'm sure she'd love that," he agreed, raising her hand to his lips before holding the door to their building open for her. "We've gotta see my mom before we leave or I'll never hear the end of it."

 

"Oh God," Layrn gasped. "What if she hates me?"

 

"She won't," Seb chuckled, punching the elevator button and switching their takeout to the other hand. "I might get chastised for not arranging something before I knocked you up, but she'll get over it," he winked.

 

"Don't be crass," she play-smacked his arm, drawing a deep-chested laugh. They chit-chatted as they rode the elevator to their floor, ironing out when would be best to meet his mother and decided on a nap after lunch since Laryn hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.

 

As they entered their apartment and said hello to the always-excited Leeloo, Laryn began shedding articles of clothing, her hat being the first to leave her body. She whipped the hat off, the following static charge causing her hair to stand up every which way. Seb couldn't contain his laughter as he took their lunch to the dining table and spread it out for them.

 

"For once, food actually smells good to me," she sighed as she unwrapped her scarf from her neck and made her way to the table, practically salivating. "Everything has been nauseating until today." She picked up the box of pork fried rice and dug right in.

 

"I'm just happy to see you eating something," Seb observed as he spooned rice and mongolian beef onto a plate. "You scared me, you know."

 

"I know, I'm sorry," she replied sadly as she draped her arms over his shoulders from behind his chair, kissing his jaw as she picked a potsticker from his plate. "I was a lot more scared." She rounded the corner of the table and sat in the next empty chair, placing the box of fried rice on the table and laying her fidgeting hands in her lap. "I'm still scared..."

 

Seb pursed his lips and stood up, rounding the table and kneeling before her as he took her hands in his. "That's perfectly normal, but we can do this," he told her softly as he pressed her knuckles to his lips.

 

She smiled and cupped his face. "I love you," she cooed as he stood, stooping low to place a lingering kiss to her lips.

 

"I love you more," he purred before sitting back down. They finished their lunch in comfortable silence, minus Bucky the cat's hilariously loud purring in one of the other empty chairs.

 

Laryn cleaned up the table when they finished eating and followed Seb back to the bedroom, shed her jeans and crawled under the covers. Seb climbed in beside her and snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her against him as they settled in for an afternoon snooze.

 

***************************************

 

Two days later, Laryn tore through the closet in search of the perfect outfit to present herself in to Seb's mother as he watched from the bed in light amusement. "You know you could wear almost anything you own and she'd still love you," he declared with a chuckle.

 

She whipped around with a hanger and presented her choice of apparel: a three-quarter sleeve green dress with a modest neckline and four little black bows centered vertically along the chest area. "It's kind of Christmasy, but it's cute," she said with a shrug.

 

"As long as I get to unwrap you later," Seb replied, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

 

"Of course," she winked before yanking her Lady Gaga t-shirt over her head and pulling the dress on. She smoothed it down and twirled in front of the mirror before smiling to herself and running to the bathroom to do her makeup. "You gonna get dressed, babe?" she called from the bathroom.

 

"I was planning on causing a scene in my boxers, but if I must," he groaned playfully as he slid off the bed and went to the closet, picking out a fitting oair of black jeans and a sweater.

 

"Old ladies would be having heart attacks," Laryn giggled, making her way back to the bed to sit next to him and put her boots on before making for the door.

 

"You forgot something doll," Seb muttered, causing her to stop in her tracks as he approached her from behind and strung the necklace he'd given her for her birthday around her neck. He carefully fastened it at the nape of her neck, his fingers lingering for a moment against her skin purposefully so he could watch the goosebumps erupt along her neck before placing a kiss in the same spot. "There, now turn."

 

She obliged, turning to face him with a smile. He gave her a once-over and chewed his lip as he tugged at her waist, pulling her to him and kissing her softly. "You're always so beautiful," he told her as their lips parted. "And you're gonna be an amazing mom."

 

Laryn blushed as she combed her hair behind her ears. "You think so?"

 

"I know so. Now come on, we're gonna keep her waiting," he took her hand and headed for the door.

 

The walk to the restaurant was a relatively short one, only about fifteen minutes from home. It was a quaint little greek restaurant that sat on a corner; Laryn was surprised she hadn't noticed it before. She looked around and admired the decor and brightness of the place as Sebastian guided her through the door, keeping his hand at the small of her back as he smiled and waved to his mother in the back corner.

 

" _Ah, fiul meu frumos!_ " the petite woman exclaimed as she stood to greet her son.

 

"Mama," Seb replied endearingly, embracing her and kissing the side of her head. Laryn observed from the side and the encounter warmed her heart amd left no doubt in her mind that he would be a wonderful father.

 

"And you must be Laryn," his mother stated, releasing her son and pulling her in for a tight hug. "I've heard such nice things. I'm Georgeta."

 

"It's lovely to meet you," Laryn replied with a big smile and the trio took their seats. Sebastian was right all along, his mom was a very sweet woman and made it very clear that she liked Laryn a lot. She listened with peaked interest as Laryn explained where she was from, how she ended up in New York, and how before even moving into her new home she caught the undivided attention of Sebastian.

 

After the waiter appeared and took their orders, Laryn listened as Georgeta told stories of Romania and living for a few years in Austria before bringing Seb to America. "I would love to visit Romania sometime," Laryn declared timidly, taking Seb's hand under the table and squeezing. "The closest I've been was Italy."

 

"A trip for the three of us sometime, perhaps?" Georgeta suggested, looking to Seb for approval.

 

"That sounds great, Ma," he agreed with a grin.

 

A few moments later their lunch arrived and, despite having ordered something mild and presumably easy on her tummy, Laryn felt a surge of familiar nausea and gasped as one hand flew to her abdomen and the other reached up to cover her lips. She glanced at Seb with wide panic-stricken eyes, who simply stood and gestured to the restroom. "It's okay, doll," he murmured into her ear as he helped her out of her chair and pursed his lips as he watched her power walk to the restroom. She glanced back over her shoulder to find his mother watching with concern written on her face. She groaned inwardly as she burst through the restroom door and locked it behind her.

 

She paced around the bathroom, trying to walk it off, but that ended up being futile and she found herself collapsing over a toilet, thanking the heavens it was clean.

 

As she washed her hands, rinsed her mouth out, and splashed some cold water on her face, she stood at the mirror and prayed that Georgeta wouldn't be outraged as she knew Seb had to tell her. _What if she doesn't approve? We've only been together a couple months._ She took a deep breath and steeled herself as she exited the restroom.

 

Her worry was in vain, however, as she found Seb beaming and his mother close to tears and clearly ecstatic when she made it back to the table. Georgeta grinned like mad and took her hand across the table. "Is it true?" she asked, watery eyes wide. "You're pregnant?"

Laryn smiled and nodded as Seb scooted his chair closer to hers so he could wrap himself around her and share the excitement.

 

Georgeta quickly rose from her chair and cupped her hands around her son's face, kissing his temple and hugging him tightly. " _Te iubesc, îmi dai un nepot!_ " she exclaimed before embracing them both.

 

A huge wave of relief washed over Laryn as she sighed and sank back into her seat, taking a generous sip of her lemon water.

 

" _Era îngrijorată că nu s-ar aproba,_ " Seb said to his overexcited mother as he placed a large hand over Laryn's thigh. Laryn was still learning Romanian, but she got the jist of the conversation.

 

"Well, I approve!" Georgeta chuckled, wiping a stray happy tear.

 

Seb grinned at Laryn with pride and awe as the table fell comfortably silent.

 

***************************************

 

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Seb asked as he lounged on the couch with Laryn's head in his lap, lazily running his fingers through her hair, the two of them having made it home and changed clothes.

 

"I honestly had no idea how it would go," Laryn chuckled, shrugging lightly as she shifted and turned to face him. "Your mom is sweet."

 

"Where do you think I get it from?" he quipped, smacking her ass playfully and laughing when she jumped.

 

"You mean along with your charm," Laryn drawled as she sat up and straddled his lap, "impeccable manners," she placed a lingering kiss to his lips as she carded her hands through his hair, "good looks," a longer, deeper kiss as she lazily ground her hips into his, earning a low groan, "respect for women," she fisted her hands in his hair and tugged, drawing her lip between her teeth as she watched his eyes roll closed and he moaned beautifully, grasping her hips tightly as he bucked his hips up into hers.

 

"You tryin' to kill me, doll?" he breathed huskily, sucking her lip when she leaned down to kiss him again. She raised her arms when she leaned back and begged him with her eyes to touch her, and it was as if he'd read her mind because he immediately skimmed his hands softly up her sides, lifting her shirt over her head and exposing her braless torso.

 

"Maybe," she replied against his mouth before peppering his jaw with little kisses and nips, "but what a way to die."

 

He let out a growl as he flipped them and in the blink of an eye had her pinned to the couch cushions and hovered above her, his darkening gaze sending shivers right to her core. He smirked as he took her wrists and placed them above her head, holding them there with one hand while the other hand massaged one of her breasts, tweaking the already hardened nipple between his fingers as he dipped his head down to capture the other nipple between his teeth, causing her to yelp and arch into him.

 

"You're so fucking beautiful like this, baby," he gruffed, moving to settle between her parted thighs as he worked her breasts and watched her writhe and squirm beneath him. She simply moaned in response as he resumed nipping and sucking his way down her bare torso, biting a little harder once he reached the little Captain America/Winter Soldier tattoo on her pelvis and earning a deeper moan as she tried her hardest not to jerk too hard and smash her hipbone against his jaw.

 

He finally made it to her sleep shorts after what felt like forever and languidly tugged them down her legs, taking his time on purpose just to watch her squirm. He tossed the shorts over his shoulder and rubbed his thumb in slow circles over the wet spot of her tiny panties, smirking when she gasped and arched into his hand.

 

"Dammit Seb," she panted, frustratingly bucking her hips when he made no move to quicken his pace, making him chuckle.

 

"So impatient," he purred as he moved to pull her panties down and off her legs before spreading them again and finally touching her bare skin, easily sliding a finger in and pumping slowly. She keened and whimpered as he teased her, desperate for more.

 

Her silent wish was granted when he added a finger and resumed circling her oversensitized bundle of nerves with his thumb. When he leaned over her and sucked a nipple into his mouth once more she moaned loudly, her body trembling and her walls tightened around his fingers as ecstasy washed over her.

 

After Seb helped her ride out her orgasm into a panting mess before him, he stood to yank his shirt over his head and was about to undo his pants when Laryn shoved herself up and stopped him. "Let me," she breathed as she covered his hands with hers and peered up at him through glassy hooded eyes. He dragged his tongue across his lips and nodded down to her as he removed his hands and let her have her way.

 

She momentarily fumbled with the button before getting his pants and boxer briefs out of the way, allowing his fully hardened member spring free and nearly smack her in the chin, drawing a chuckle from both of them. 

 

She glanced back up at him to find him watching her intently, eyes darkened with desire and half-lidded. She maintained eye contact as she gave his tip one, two, three long licks before taking him fully into her mouth. She smiled around him as he lolled his head back and moaned deeply, hands finding purchase within her hair as she hollowed out her cheeks and began bobbing.

 

" _Christ_ , babygirl, you're so perfect," he gritted as he did his best not to thrust into her face and gag her. She responded by humming around him as he hit the back of her throat for the third time, nearly ending him at that moment. "Fuck, stop, _stop_ ," he panted as he withdrew from her. She swelled with pride as she watched him regain his composure, delighting that she was the only one to make him feel this good. 

 

He smirked down at her as he kicked his pants and boxers away and sat down, patting his thigh. "Come here, baby," he purred. 

 

She drew her lip between her teeth and obliged, straddling him as he cradled her face and met her lips in a searing kiss. She moaned into his mouth when his tongue parted her lips and slid against hers, hands roaming everywhere and hips grinding into the other's. 

 

She broke the kiss only to grasp him and line him up with her entrance, sighing deeply as she sank down onto him inch by glorious inch. Once he was fully seated within her, she tangled her fingers in his hair and yanked, _hard_ , exposing his throat to her as his eyes rolled back and he let out a broken moan, his voice cracking a little. She could feel him twitch inside her as she leaned forward and latched onto his pulse point, sucking and nipping as she began to swivel her hips and the room filled with their soft moans and breathy sighs.

 

His grip on her hips tightened and she was positive there would be bruises there, but that didn't matter in the least. She slowly increased her speed until she was bouncing in his lap, her heavy breasts grazing his chest as she pressed her forehead to his and they held each other as if this was their last day together. 

 

"I love you," Seb breathed, barely a whisper, just before lifting her and slamming her down to the seat cushions, never once pulling out as he hovered above her and began pistoning into her with bruising force. 

 

"I-- _fuck!_ \--I love you too," she panted back as their moans grew louder and louder, the sound of skin slapping against skin becoming their soundtrack as they completely ruined each other. 

 

Her hands gripped his shoulders for dear life as her walls began to spasm around him, causing his pace to falter. She teetered on the edge and thrust up to meet him each time until he pushed one of her kegs up toward her chest, adjusting the angle and hitting that sweet spot just right, tossing her over the edge and into utter bliss. She nearly screamed as she came around him, taking her with him as his hips stuttered and he roared her name, coming completely undone and collapsing into her waiting arms. She didn't mind his weight on her one bit, as long as it was him on top of her for the rest of her life. 

 

She smiled and kissed his shoulder before he weakly lifted himself from her and gazed down at her with so much affection and love that even he felt it... He had tossed the idea around in his head for some time and now, he finally _knew_. He was going to make her his wife.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn goes shopping for a banquet gown ehile Seb shops for something a little smaller and sparkly ;) then comes bathtime and a charity banquet where things happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg y'all. We've hit chapter 20. I don't even know what to say. In the beginning I had no idea this fic would go this far and for a little bit I actually contemplated abandoning it, but it's YOU GUYS that kept me going :D seriously, thank you guys so so much. Enjoy :)

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A few weeks after Laryn's first ultrasound appointment, she was sent off to find a gown to wear to a charity event that Sebastian would be attending. Naturally, he was taking her and wanted to really show her off. It came as a surprise to her as she had never even worn a formal gown before and was excited--and extremely nervous--about the prospect of meeting new celebrities.

 

She sighed as she thumbed through racks of gorgeous dresses, seemingly not able to locate one that suited her. "Is it me, or do all these belong to someone much more beautiful than me?" she called over her shoulder to Natalie, who was investigating the racks on the other side of the aisle.

 

Natalie scoffed loudly and whipped around to glare at the back of Laryn's head. "Girl, you're stunning, and you're having Sebastian Stan's baby. Shut up."

 

Laryn smiled and rubbed her still-flat tummy, wondering when she would start to show but also thanking her lucky stars that she would be getting at least one major event without a baby bump. She turned her attention back to the rack in front of her and huffed a strand of hair from her face as she contemplated giving up. "You know, maybe I'll just call Scarlett and see if she can find something for me..."

 

Natalie bounced over to her with a maddening grin on her face. "Maybe not. Try this on." She shoved a dress into Laryn's hands.

 

Laryn inspected the dress and grinned. "He does love black," she mused aloud as she turned on her heel and headed for the dressing room. She worked herself into the dress, which fit her perfectly as usual, and she stepped out to show Natalie, whose jaw hit the floor.

 

"Well, my boobs look amazing," Laryn chuckled as she admired herself in the nearby mirror.

 

"Your boobs always look amazing, and I'm incredibly jealous, and you should buy that one," Natalie rambled. "He'll love it!"

 

Laryn nodded absentmindedly as her mind began racing with sinful thoughts of Seb carefully sliding the dress down her body and laying her out, running his lips and tongue over her heated flesh, spreading her legs wide and--

 

"Hey, hello in there," Natalie called, waving her hand in front of Laryn's face and snapping her out of her daydream. "Mind already in the gutter?" she asked with a knowing smirk.

 

"Shut up and help me find some shoes," Laryn mumbled as a crimson blush crept down her neck and up to her ears.

 

"Easy." Natalie took just three steps toward a wall of heels and plucked a red heel from the wall, holding it out to Laryn. "Black and red. You'll have him drooling over you all night."

 

"Well, you're not wrong," Laryn admitted with a small giggle as she took the shoe and headed for checkout.

 

"So, we still have about an hour before we hit the spa," Natalie observed as she checked her phone for the time. "Wanna grab a bite?"

 

"I'm actually starving," Laryn replied as her stomach all but moaned at the thought of food. "I'm eating for two now, ya know."

 

Natalie squealed excitedly and hugged her friend. "So when do you guys find out what the sex is?"

 

"In a couple weeks, I think," Laryn answered as she took her bags from the cashier and they turned to leave the store. "He has to start filming Infinity War soon and refuses to leave me alone at home, so I'm going with him and we're gonna find a local obgyn to see there."

 

"Aww he loves you so much," Natalie practically melted as they walked to the nearby burger joint before their spa time.

 

"Yeah," Laryn smiled; he did love her, much more than she was even aware of. "But the fact that no one will be home raises a question... Would you mind taking care of our cat and dog while we're gone?"

 

"Of course! You know I love your furbabies!"

 

"Oh my God that's great, thank you," Laryn looped her arm around Natalie's and hugged it. "I was dreading putting them in a kennel, I'd much rather have someone I can trust take care of them."

 

"Hey, anytime," Natalie beamed as they walked into the burger joint and found a table.

 

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"So we're here for what, telling you what's ugly or too expensive?" Anthony joked as he kept up with Seb and Chris on the busy sidewalk.

 

"Uh, yeah, kinda," Seb muttered. He couldn't identify the reason for why he was so paranoid, they were in a completely different part of town than Laryn so he knew there was absolutely no chance of her spotting him.

 

"Dude, relax," Chris chuckled, clapping Seb on the shoulder and making him jump. They walked another two blocks before arriving at the store that Seb was looking for.

 

He observed the rows and rows of shimmering jewelry, unsure of where to even start.

 

"You know what she likes, right?" Anthony asked him as he bent down to grimace at an obnoxiously gaudy orange ring.

 

"I mean... She doesn't have a single piece of yellow gold, it's all white gold," Seb declared as he thought back on the night they laid together in their underwear across their bed and she went through her jewelry box, explaining each piece's backstory. "And she loves her birthstone," he added as his eyes scanned over various pieces that contained the purple stone that she cherished so dearly.

 

"That's a start," Anthony said, trying to be helpful as he poked around the store.

 

"How about this one?" Chris called from across the room. Seb and Anthony zigzagged around other cases to where they found Chris pointing at a specific ring.

 

"Sir, may I see this one?" Seb asked as he grabbed the attention of the store clerk, who hurried to unlock the case and pluck the ring out, placing it in Seb's outstretched hand. He nodded a thank you before inspecting the piece closely, a wide smile curling his lips upward. "Perfect."

 

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Laryn nearly crashed through the door to their apartment as she tried to hurry her new dress through the living room and back to the guest room closet, where she deposited it at the very back. Huffing a sigh of relief, she ventured back into the living room to find it empty.

 

"Seb?" she called and listened to her voice ring through the apartment, but no answer. Frowning, she turned and headed for their bedroom. She heard soft music as she opened the door and noticed dim flickering light spilling out of the bathroom. She raised an eyebrow and slowly approached the bathroom to find candles sitting on every dry surface, all lit and surrounded by deep red rose petals. She nearly let her crazy imbalanced hormones get the best of her, having to choke back a sob as she went to the sink counter to read the note that was left there:

 

_My love,_

_You deserve to be pampered, my printesa. I will return shortly to join you in the bath._

_Yours always,_

_S._

 

Laryn smiled and bit her lip as she picked up the giant purple bath bomb the note was taped to, holding it to her nose and humming her approval of the lavender scent. She proceeded to remove the shrinkwrap film and drop it into the steaming water with a soft _plunk_ before pouring herself a generous glass of nonalcoholic wine from the bottle resting on the counter.

 

She watched the bath bomb fizzle and disintegrate as she toed off her shoes and peeled her clothes off, and by the time she picked up her glass and stepped into the tub she heard the front door close. She sighed in contentment as she settled against the back of the tub, setting her glass on the side and inhaling the sweet and subtlely spicy aroma, patiently waiting for her lover to join her.

 

Not half a minute passed before he appeared in the doorway, silently observing and admiring her. The oils in the bath bomb mixture made her skin look glossy and shimmered as the candlelight danced across it.

 

He drew his lip between his teeth and smiled when she opened her eyes and lolled her head to the side to look at him, her eyes twinkling in the dim lighting as her full lips curled up into a wide grin. "I know this wasn't all your idea," she joked as she sat up and folded her arms over the side of the tub, laying her cheek across her forearm.

 

"You caught me, I don't have a single romantic bone in my body," he quipped with a wink, not moving from where he stood.

 

"So are you gonna join me or what?"

 

"I'm fine just being a spectator," he teased, crossing his arms over his thick chest.

 

"Pleeeease," she jutted her bottom lip out and gave him the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. When he still didn't budge and simply smirked, she feigned anger and narrowed her eyes at him. "Sebastian Stan, you get your sexy ass in this tub," she demanded sternly. He threw his head back and laughed heartily, the corners of his eyes crinkling as they pinched shut, something Laryn found infinitely endearing and adorable.

 

Her heart leapt when he finally pushed off the doorframe and kicked his shoes off as he began stripping before her. She plucked her wine glass from the side of the tub and smiled triumphantly before taking a large sip and drinking in his naked form as he stepped into the tub behind her. She scooted foward to give him room, leaning back against his chest when he settled.

 

"You're lucky I like my showers as hot as you do," he said pointedly, grazing his fingertips over the curves of her shoulders and pushing her short hair aside to run his lips up the side of her neck.

 

"You didn't have to do all this, sugar," she drawled breathily, a small gasp punctuating the end of her statement when his teeth tugged lightly at her earlobe.

 

"Nonsense," he argued as his lips rested againt the shell of her ear before beginning their descent, "you're giving me a child, the least I can do is take care of you." She bit back a moan when his hands began to wander, curving around her ribcage to cup her breasts. He chuckled when her grip on his knees tightened. "Did you find something to wear tomorrow?" he asked as he began to pinch and tweak her nipples.

 

She parted her lips to respond, but all that came out was a raspy moan so she simply nodded as she arched into his hands.

 

"Good," he bit her shoulder, drawing out a yelp and then a louder moan, before grazing her ear with his lips again, "I can't fucking wait to take it off of you."

 

By now her core was throbbing with need and he had barely touched her. She grabbed her wine glass and set it on a nearby shelf before turning to face him, sloshing some water out in the process, and climbed into his lap, straddling him. "What, are you gonna drag me off to an empty room and have your way with me at the charity?" she asked jokingly, not quite prepared for his answer.

"Maybe I will," he growled as his eyes visibly darkened, causing her jaw to drop slightly. He chuckled heatedly and slid his fingers into her hair, pulling her down for a hungry kiss.

 

***************************************

 

The next 24 hours sped by in a flash and it was time to get ready for the charity event. Laryn used the guest room to get dressed and do her makeup, rejoicing that she had shaved her legs and enjoying the feeling of the smooth fabric gliding over her skin, made softer by the previous night's bath bomb. She managed to get the zipper all the way up by herself and patted herself on the back before starting on her signature smokey eye makeup.

 

She stepped into her new red pumps and gave herself a once over in the mirror, ruffling her hair abit before she was satisfied and turned and walked out into the living room. Seb was standing at one of the windows, fiddling nervously with his tie when he glanced up and saw her. His lips parted as he forgot all about the blasted tie and shuffled toward her, his eyes raking over her half a dozen times before he reached her.

 

Her gown showed off her voluptuous curves and had several pieces cut out of the back as the neckline draped over her breasts perfectly, exposing just the right amount of cleavage. His eyes lingered on the heels, which prevented the gown from dragging the floor and gave her some height. His gaze met hers as his face lit up and he reached for her ribcage, pulling her closer.

 

"You like?" she asked timidly.

 

"Sweetheart, you would look stunning in a potato sack. But this," he skimmed his hands down her sides and gathered the fabric of her gown in his fists, tugging lightly so her pelvis collided with his, "you're positively angelic, _iubi_." He leaned down and ghosted his parted lips over hers and pulled away as her lips chased his. Then without warning, he cupped the nape of her neck and pulled her against him, whispering against her ear, "I'm gonna have fun teasing you relentlessly tonight," ending his statement by nibbling on her pulse point before soothing it with his tongue, drawing out a moan as her knees wobbled.

 

She tried to shake off the sudden wave of intense desire as they made their way downstairs to the towncar that waited on the street.

 

The short car ride to the charity was all soft caresses and barely there kisses, drawing out little mewls and whimpers as she tried to keep her wits about her and not be completely wrecked by the time they arrived at their destination. She had to shove him away to touch up her lipstick before her door was opened. She glared back at him as he chuckled and smoothed his hair back down before climbing out after her.

 

As he stepped out into the cool night air, he saw that she was very visibly tense as the slew of cameras had already begun flashing in her direction. He stepped up to her side and curled his long fingers around her waist, placing a soft kiss to her cheek. "You gonna be okay, doll?" he questioned as he observed a little bit of panic in her eyes, concern written all over his face.

 

She heaved a deep sigh and steeled herself before turning to him. "I'm fine," she squeaked as she smiled up at him.

 

"If you get too uncomfortable, just say the word and we'll go home," he promised her before leaning closer. "At least at home you won't have to stifle your screams as I fuck you senseless. Tell me, _iubi_ , how wet are your panties right now?"

 

She grinned back at him and congratulated herself for getting to turn the tables on him. She went to kiss his cheek before grazing the shell of his ear with her lips and replying as sexily as she could, "They'd be absolutely soaked, if I was wearing any."

 

His eyes popped wide open and he audibly gulped as she leaned back and watched his brain short circuit from learning this naughty piece of intel. She maintained her poker face and continued to smile innocently up at him as he offered her his arm. _Let the games begin._

 

They smiled for the cameras and he ushered her through the double doors into the enormous banquet hall in search of their seats. "Wow, this place is breathtaking," Laryn gasped as she let her eyes wander across the walls and high ceiling, admiring the Renaissance-y decor.

 

"You should check out some of the other rooms later," Seb suggested as they located their table and took their seats. He smirked as he placed his hand at the small of her back and leaned in closer, his breath fanning over the side of her face. "Plenty of empty space for me to fuck the breath from your lungs up against a wall," he purred, grazing the back of his fingers down her bare arm and watching goosebumps erupt across her flesh before pulling away with a triumphant grin.

 

She giggled and turned her upper body to face him as she leaned over, placing her hand high on his thigh and grazed over his growing bulge as she whispered heatedly, "Not before everyone here hears you chanting my name while I swallow your thick cock," her fingers applying more and more pressure with each word, earning a sharp hiss when she grazed her nails over the tip.

 

"Challenge accepted, dollface," he growled through gritted teeth as he turned his attention to the waiter that appeared at his side with a bottle of champagne. Laryn screamed inwardly at the notion of having sex in a public place, but Sebastian made it all worthwhile.

 

As the evening dragged on and several people took the stage to give speeches, Laryn guzzled several glasses of water and endured Seb's relentless sexual torture until she was all but _gushing_ between her thighs. She stood abruptly on wobbly legs and mumbled something about getting some air as she left the banquet hall.

 

She walked through three empty rooms before finding what appeared to be a piano lounge, thankfully empty as well, and wandering around to look at all the artwork hanging on the walls. There was no light except for the moonlight spilling in through the tall windows on one wall. As she stopped to take a closer look at one painting in particular, two strong hands grasped her hips and pulled her to a solid broad chest, which she melted into. "See what you do to me, _draga_?" Sebastian breathed against her neck as he pressed his bulge into her ass before turning her in his arms and kissing her fiercely. He walked her to the wall behind her and pressed his entire body against hers, shielded from view by a huge curtain bunched up at the edge of a window, and she clawed mindlessly at his suit as she moaned into his mouth and tried not to mess up his hair.

 

She could feel her arousal start to run down her thighs as he turned them around so that he was now standing against the wall and tearing his mouth from hers. "On your knees, doll," he commanded as he gazed down at her through hooded, lust-blown eyes. He barely finished his short statement before she was dropping to her knees so quickly that she actually hurt one of her kneecaps, but the pain was nothing compared to the ache at her core.

 

She maintained eye contact as she fumbled with the fly of his dress pants, licking her cherry red lips wantonly until she got his pants open and he sprang free, fully erect and weeping at the tip. She leaned forward and flattened her tongue against the base, licking a broad stripe up the entire length along the thick vein lining the underside. His head knocked against the wall as he threw it back and groaned, his hips already beginning to reflexively thrust. She smirked and wrapped her lips around the tip, sucking him fully into her mouth until he touched the back of her throat.

 

"Jesus _fuck_ , baby," he moaned a little too loudly for her liking, but she brushed it off as she bobbed her head and hollowed her cheeks. She grasped the backs of his thighs and ran her hands upward, grabbing handfuls of his perfect ass as she pushed him further into her mouth and deepthroated him once more. She held true to her promise and swallowed around him, drawing out the sexiest broken sound to ever float into her ears.

 

Seconds later, he was yanking himself from the comfort of her warm soft mouth and hauling her back up to shove his tongue through her lips. He shoved her back against the wall and hiked up her gown before hoisting her up and burying himself deep within her, all without breaking their kiss. Her guttural moan was muffled by his mouth as he immediately set a bruising pace, pounding into her relentlessly. He tore his lips from her mouth and replaced them with his hand as he latched onto her neck, sucking a mark into the flesh just under her ear so it would be hidden by her hair.

 

"How do you stay so fucking tight, _iubi_ ," he moaned into the crook of her neck as her endless string of muffled cries and moans filled the air around them. He rested his forehead against hers as he watched her come undone, her thighs trembling around him as she dug her heels into his lower back, drawing out a cry of mixed pain and pleasure and triggering his hips to thrust faster and harder.

 

He fucked her through her first orgasm and kept going, her moans becoming increasingly louder as he neared his own release. She momentarily forgot where they were and fisted both hands into his hair just as his hand came down hard on her ass, making her yelp and yank on his hair. He pinched his eyes shut and pistoned into her several more times before stilling himself inside her and flying off the edge, crying her name as he took her with him.

 

Their breaths mixed between them as they came down from their highs before he carefully set her back on her feet. "Hold still,  sweetheart," he cooed before planting a soft kiss to her lips and lowering himself to the floor. She watched as he pulled a wad of paper towels from his pocket and began cleaning her up, dragging the cold damp towels along her thighs and her center before standing again and buttoning his pants. "You alright, doll?" he asked through a knowing grin.

 

"Yeah," she panted, still leaning against the wall behind her and looking completely wrecked. She laughed when she saw what she had done to his hair and reached around with both hands to smooth it back into place. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her in place when she went to pull away, leaning in and kissing her deeply as he tightened his hold on her.

 

"You're the most amazing and beautiful creature I've ever seen in my life," he breathed after breaking their kiss to look into her eyes sweetly, cradling her face.

 

She beamed and kissed him once more. " _Te iubesc_ ," she whispered against his lips.

" _Te iubesc, frumoasa_ ," he purred back before taking her hand and leading her back to the banquet hall. They found their seats again and smiled at each other lovingly, clinking their champagne flutes together and enjoying the rest of their evening.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb takes Laryn to Atlanta with him for filming and more domestic fluff ensues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! I'm back with another chapter yaaay :D so we've now entered Infinity War filming territory! How exciting! I thought it would be fitting since they're getting started on it in real life so here we go. Enjoy!

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

The door to the roomy, pre-furnished apartment fell open and Laryn nearly collapsed in a heap buried in her own bags had it not been for Sebastian steadying her before she lost her footing.  "My hero, what would I do without you?" she chirped, kissing his cheek.

 

He chuckled and picked up some of her bags, setting them near the couch before stepping back out to grab the animal crates, all while keeping a watchful eye on Laryn as she inspected the layout of their temporary Atlanta home.

 

After locating the bedroom and setting their clothes on the bed, she returned to the living room to tend to the animals. "You know we didn't have to bring them, Seb," she called over her shoulder as she opened the smaller crate and lifted a grumpy Bucky the cat from it, cradling him like a baby. "Natalie could have taken care of them."

 

"Yeah," Seb agreed, tossing his smaller bag onto the couch and strutting across the room to her. "But you love them, and so do I," he carefully wrapped his arms around her, cupping her tiny baby bump. "And I know you'd rather have your babies with you."

 

"Our babies," Laryn corrected him with a giggle as he grazed his lips across the skin of her shoulder.

 

When the time came for the couple to pack up and head for Atlanta for the filming of Infinity War, Laryn knew she wasn't compromising a thing. She would follow him to the edge of the universe if it meant being his. And she was his; and he was hers.

 

She set the cat down on the plush carpet to roam around and curled into Seb's embrace as she spun in his arms and reached up to kiss him, grasping at his hair and the nape of his neck and moaning softly when he deepened the kiss. Just as she began to claw at his shirt, however, there was a knock at the door that startled Laryn into jumping back a step and squealing.

 

"That's my fault," Seb coughed out between laughs. "I invited Chris and Scarlett over for dinner, I hope that's alright with you."

 

"Sure, Scarlett can help me cook," Laryn chirped as she smoothed her hair down and moved their bags to the bedroom while Seb went to the door.

 

"Hey, man!" Chris almost shouted when Seb left him and Scarlett in, followed by an unannounced Anthony.

 

"Aww man, who invited the bum?" Seb joked as he clapped a hand on Anthony's back.

 

"Hilarious," Anthony chuckled, taking a seat on the couch.

 

"Hey everyone!" Laryn announced herself as she returned to the living room, greeting everyone separately as they each congratulated the pair on the upcoming arrival of their baby.

 

As they crowded around the animal crates that still sat in the middle of the room, Leeloo whined from inside the latter one. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry baby," Laryn cooed as she opened the crate, releasing the overexcited pitbull to nearly knock everyone down as she greeted them with dog kisses.

 

The group soon fell into casual conversation, discussing topics from the movie script to past costume mishaps to things to do around town. Chris and Seb had just begun debating taking a short trip to the nearest beach at some point when Laryn's stomach made an embarrassingly loud noise, signaling her hunger.

 

"You gotta be starved, doll," Seb observed from her side as she clutched at her abdomen.

 

"Yeah, I'm gonna see what the kitchen is stocked with." She stood and maneuvered around feet and the large coffee table, making a beeline for the small pantry. To her surprise, Seb had called ahead and had it fully stocked.

 

"I'll help, I'm sick of guy talk anyway," Scarlett declared as she appeared next to Laryn wearing a bright smile.

 

"Great! Lets' see..." The two inspected each shelf and checked the freezer for some kind of meat before deciding on homemade pizza and fried mozzarella.

 

As Laryn kneaded the dough to make the crust, Scarlett began skillet cooking the spicy sausage. "So you must be excited, having your first baby?" Scarlett asked quietly, glancing at Laryn over her shoulder.

 

"I'm a lot of things," Laryn replied with a nervous laugh. "Excited, happy, terrified..."

 

"The fear will pass, I promise you. I was scared, too. But the minute you have your baby in your arms, nothing else matters."

 

Laryn nodded and hoped that she was right. She turned her gaze upward and looked through the window between the kitchen and the living room, bright eyes meeting Seb's and earning a gorgeous toothy smile coupled with a wink. She blew a kiss before having her attention pulled away.

 

"And Sebastian will be great too," Scarlett added as she removed the cooked sausage from the skillet and placing it in a bowl lined with paper towels.  She set the skillet back on the stove and turned to Laryn with a knowing smile. "You already know what an amazing person he is. He'll be a great dad."

 

"I have zero doubts about that," Laryn affirmed, rubbing her belly affectionately.

 

She spread the dough out over two baking sheets and the two began building the pizzas while the boys goofed around in the living room. The second Laryn opened the bag of shredded mozzarella, Leeloo appeared at her side, ears perked and tail wagging. "Okay, fine," Laryn giggled, placing a pinch of cheese on the floor for Leeloo to lap up. "So do you have Rose with you?" she asked once she turned her attention to helping Scarlett put dinner together.

 

"I do actually," the tiny blonde stated. "She's with the nanny right now."

 

"I'd love to meet her," Laryn said cheerfully, opening up the bag of pepperoni and throwing pieces across her pizza. "And if the nanny ever needs a day off or something, I wouldn't mind taking care of her, since I really have nothing to do while Seb is filming."

 

"That's so sweet, I'd like that," Scarlett smiled as she dumped the last of the sausage onto her pizza creation. "Done! What else should we conjure up?"

 

"I think there's some veggies in the crisper, maybe a tossed salad?"

 

They shoved the pizzas into the oven and began rinsing off veggies when another knock on the front door echoed through the living room. Laryn raised an eyebrow as she glanced through the kitchen window and watched Seb head for the door.

 

"A little birdie said you guys were here," Laryn heard Elizabeth's voice ring through the apartment as Seb ushered her inside. "I come bearing beer," she added with a wide smile before catching sight of Laryn in the kitchen. "Oh my God, hey!" She scurried through and launched herself at Laryn after setting the beer on the counter, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Congratulations, Scarlett told me the news! How far along are you?"

 

"About 15 weeks now," Laryn responded as they separated. "I just started showing about 2 weeks ago and I've already scheduled an appointment with a local obgyn in a few days so we should find out the sex then."

 

Lizzie squealed and hugged her again. "Okay," she huffed, grabbing the case of beer and setting it in the fridge, "do you guys need help with anything?"

 

"Aside from the salad and fried mozzarella, we're all set," Scarlett chimed in.

 

"I'm gonna make some iced tea," Laryn declared, rummaging through the cabinets in search of a pitcher."

 

"I heard that!" Anthony called from the living room, tossing her a thumbs up.

 

When she finally located a pitcher, she threw some tea bags into a pan of water and set it on the stove to boil before spinning in place to observe the impromptu party that had formed in her new home. She couldn't keep the giant grin from forming across her face as she looked around at all her famous friends, thinking back to that fateful day that Sebastian found her on the street in front of their New York apartment. While she missed her family and friends back home in Texas, she felt love and admiration swell within her chest for everyone around her. It was only when Seb appeared in front of her that she snapped out of her reverie.

 

"Hey, I'm sorry about all of this," he said aa his brow furrowed and concern etched his features as his hands found her hips. "I didn't realize we were throwing an Avengers party."

 

"Don't be sorry," she shook her head and smiled. "I have you, and apparently the Avengers, and you know I love cooking. I couldn't be happier. I mean unless you wanna, you know, kick everyone out..." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively as she dipped her fingers into the waistband of his jeans as she bit her lip.

 

He chuckled and placed a chaste kiss to her lips. "Let's enjoy the company for now. But definitely later. I do have an idea though."

 

"Yeah?" Laryn tilted her head to the side.

 

"Yeah, what do you think about a gender reveal?"

 

"I was actually thinking of that already," she admitted, winding her arms around him and raking her nails softly across his back. "Great minds think alike."

 

"Really? Great, let's do it then," he kissed her forehead and then backed away from the oven when the timer went off, reaching for the fridge door and opening it to grab a beer. After opening the bottle, he went through the drawers and found an oven mit.

 

"I love how we always seem to be on the same wavelength. It's almost like we're married," Laryn mused as she grabbed the oven mit to pull the pizzas from the oven. Seb choked on his swig of beer and struggled to regain his composure. "You okay babe?" Laryn asked, turning around to face him with worry written on her face.

 

Seb nodded and patted his chest. "Wrong pipe," he lied as he hurried out of the kitchen and back to the bedroom. Laryn raised a curious eyebrow and went about getting dinner ready.

 

Meanwhile, Seb yanked his carryon from the floor and set it on the bed, zipping it open in a flash and going for the hidden pocket on the side. He reached in and sighed heavily when he retracted his hand, clutching a tiny black velvet box. He opened it and smiled down at the ring it held. He still hadn't decided when he would ask her, but he wanted it to be soon. Not that he was afraid she would get bored of him or run off with someone else; he knew she was his. He simply wanted it to be perfect.

 

With another deep exhale, he snapped the box shut as he swiped his free hand down his face and shoved it back into the secret pocket in his carryon, zipping the bag shut afterward and heading back out to the party.

***************************************

 

The first day of filming rolled around in no time, and as much as Laryn wanted to tag along for at least this one time, the Russo brothers weren't too keen on the idea, so she reluctantly stayed home and spent the day unpacking.

 

She didn't mind hanging around the apartment all that much; it allowed her some time to arrange things since this would be an extended stay and they wouldn't have to live out of their suitcases. She also anticipated being excluded from certain things like being on-set, which she was obviously already used to, being just an average unfamous girl from Dallas. Her feelings weren't hurt in the slightest; she would just pull the details from Sebastian when he returned home for the night.

 

_Right. He'll be coming home at some point._ She dropped her current task of unpacking her suitcase and shuffled into the living room to her small box of books, yanking a cookbook from the bottom and settling onto the couch next to a snoozing Leeloo.

 

"Something new, something new," she chanted to herself as she flipped through pages of exotic looking entrees. She stopped on a recipe for caribbean chicken with pineapple cilantro rice and immediately began salivating as she skimmed over the ingredients. She knew they had the essentials, but she would have to go to the store for certain spices like thyme, cumin, and nutmeg.

 

She jotted down what she would need and quickly threw a tank top and some shorts on before Googling the nearest market. Sebastian was gracious enough to catch a ride with Chris and left her the keys to their rental, should she need them, as well as a credit card. She bade her furbabies goodbye for now as she stepped into her flip flops, swiped the car keys off the coffee table, and headed out to the cute little blue Chevy Cobalt.

 

She let out a content sigh as she stepped out into the warm sunshine, a much welcomed contrast to New York's still-frigid weather. She had very much missed earing summer clothes in the earlier months of the year like she was used to in Texas. Smiling brightly, she climbed into the car and headed off.

 

She had always been a great navigator; she rarely ever got lost, the very few occasions that she did being at night when her terrible night vision and nearsightedness hindered her ability to read street signs; and the fact that she was a huge geography nerd was a plus. She always seemed to know where everything was. That being said, she found the market in just under five minutes.

 

She pulled into a space and scurried into the market, grabbing a hand basket on the way. It didn't take her long to find what she needed and a few extras before she made it through the checkout line and back out to the car.

 

Just as she pulled back into her parking space at the apartment, her phone chimed.

 

_S: What's my baby girl doing?_

 

She grinned as the colony of metaphorical butterflies cycloned in her belly, something she was still amazed by.

 

_L: Just got back from market, picked up some things for dinner. Having fun?_

 

She locked her phone after hitting send and tossed it back into her enormous purse, grabbing her grocery bags and heading inside. She sifted through the bags and put everything in their rightful place before heading back to the bedroom to finish with her suitcase. She still had a little time before she needed to start on dinner. She jumped when her phone chimed again in her back pocket.

 

_S: As always. Nothing too thrilling today. Playing chef tonight, I see. I'm sure it'll be delicious, everything you cook is amazing. See you tonight, doll. Should be around 7._

 

She typed a quick response and threw her phone onto the bed as she got back to work.

 

***************************************

 

It was nearing 7 and Laryn was just putting the finishing touches on dinner and carrying it to the table as Seb marched through the front door.

 

"Honey, I'm home!" he comically shouted with that damn sexy smirk plastered on his face as he strutted into the dining area and lifted Laryn off the carpet in a warm hug. "How was your day, doll?" he asked, planting a loud kiss in the crook of her neck before setting her softly back on her feet.

 

"It was okay," she shrugged with a smile as she turned to the cabinet to retrieve plates. "I got our clothes and my books put up, after sleeping in, of course," she shot him a matter-of-fact look as she turned back to the dinner table that made him chuckle, "and then I made this awesome dinner."

 

"It smells fantastic," he declared as he gave her another kiss, this time lingering at her lips, before taking a seat.

 

"Water, wine, soda?" she asked him as she opened the fridge.

 

"Water, please," he answered before turning his attention to Leeloo, who sat under the table with her face in his lap waiting for some lovin'.

 

"I hope that's not you swearing off alcohol just because I'm pregnant,"  she raised an eyebrow at him as she placed a water bottle in front of him.

 

"It just wouldn't be fair to you if I sat here guzzling wine while you're stuck drinking water," he placed a hand over hers and squeezed, giving her a sympathetic look. "It just hit me today. You can't even have caffeine, and I know how much of a ritual your morning coffee is for you. Decaf just isn't the same."

 

"I _can_ , just in very small amounts," she corrected with a smile as she spooned a sizeable chicken breast and a couple scoops of rice onto his plate before serving herself. "But you're right, decaf sucks."

 

"Well there you go," he made a vague hand gesture and picked up his fork. "I don't mind suffering with you, sweetheart. I mean, I'm half the reason you're pregnant anyway." He winked before cutting into his chicken and took a huge bite, gorgeous eyes rolling back as he groaned his approval. "This is amazing, _iubi_. You could be a five-star chef. Where did you find the idea for this?"

 

"It was in one of my cookbooks," she beamed as her chest swelled with pride, so ecstatic that he always appreciated her efforts and loved her cooking.

 

The rest of dinner was spent with Seb telling her about his day, from the funny antics between him, Chris, and Anthony to some of the minor stunts, and Laryn listened intently. She would never deny being a huge Marvel nerd and she had always and still does enjoy the movies. Now, she got to hear behind-the-scenes stories that no one else would and she absolutely loved it.

 

Once they finished eating, she put up the leftovers while Seb did the dishes before they settled into each others' arms on the couch and flipped through Netflix. She took a look around at her present situation and felt warmth wash over her as she snuggled deeper into his side, arm draped over his middle and bare feet propped up on the table next to his. _This is the life._


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GENDER REVEAL PARTY! And other things :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeyyyy y'all! Omg okay so I know some of you have been wondering when this particular chapter was gonna happen. Well here we are and I'm SO EXCITED! PREPARE YOUR FEELS!

__

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well Miss Jones, everything looks great and right where it's supposed to be at this time in your pregnancy," the doctor advised as he carefully glided the transducer over Laryn's ever-swelling belly. "Staying away from toxins like cigarettes and alcohol, I presume?"

 

"Yes sir," Laryn replied with a confident smile.

 

"Excellent, and is Dad being considerate of that?"

 

"Oh yes," Laryn chuckled, her kind wandering back to a few days ago when Sebastian expressed his desire to abstain with her.

 

"Well, would you like to know the sex?"

 

Laryn pondered this question for a moment. Part of her _did_ want to know, because not knowing would eat away at her for any amount of time, but the other part wanted to be as surprised as Sebastian when he found out. She grinned as she made her decision.

 

"Could you... Write it down and put it in an envelope? I'm planning a gender reveal party," she admitted sheepishly.

 

The doctor smiled and nodded. "You'd be surprised at how often I hear that nowadays," he said as he handed her a handful of paper towels to wipe off the sticky gel. "Let me run to my office, I'll be back shortly."

 

As he left the exam room, Laryn felt the familiar tingle of growing anxiety sweep over her, coaxing a sheet of goosebumps across her skin as she grazed her palms over her baby bump.

 

While she waited for the doctor's return, she pulled her phone from her purse and began typing.

 

_L: I'm keeping the sex a secret, even from myself. *evil laugh*_

 

As soon as she hit send, the doctor returned, white envelope in hand. "Alright, Miss Jones, here it is along with a new prenatal prescription," he handed her the items. "They'll schedule your next appointment up front, and I'll see you then."

 

"Thank you," Laryn smiled sweetly as she left. After seeing the girl at the front desk about a new appointment, she headed out to the car with the intention of going by the pharmacy, then stopping by the bakery she picked out for her party pastries.

 

When she reached the car, she checked her phone and opened the text she received:

 

_S: You're killing me, woman! So how do you wanna do this?_

 

She stifled a laugh as she typed out her response:

 

_L: I'm thinking filled cupcakes. Headed to the bakery now._

 

She hit send and tossed her phone into the passenger seat. Her gaze flitted to the envelope sitting propped up against the side of her purse and she was suddenly overcome with curiosity. She chewed her lip as she picked it up, staring at it for what seemed like years before flipping up the lip and pulling out the slip of paper by mere centimeters before stopping. Pursing her lips, she groaned and shoved the paper back inside and threw the envelope into the back seat. "Not today, Satan," she scolded her inner snoop.

 

She caught her own eye in the rear view mirror and spaced out for several seconds until her phone chimed again, startling her. "God damn prego brain," she mumbled as she picked up her phone again.

 

_S: Sounds perfect, doll. I'll be home a little earlier today, around 5. I'll bring takeout._

 

She smiled, wondering how she got so lucky as she replied.

 

_L: You're the best! I love you <3_

 

She started the car and off she went. After the pharmacy drive thru, she located the fancy looking bakery and fished the pesky envelope from the back seat before heading inside.

 

As soon as she opened the door, she was blasted by a wave of warm sweet smelling baked goods. She inhaled the smell of cookies and cakes and sighed as her insides suddenly felt warm.

 

She shuffled up to the glass counter and admired all the cute cupcakes, cookies, and dufferent flavors of brownies before a young woman approached her.

 

"What can I do for you, ma'am?" the perky redhead asked as she wiped a smear of icing from her cheek and picked up an order pad.

 

"I'm having a gender reveal party this weekend," Laryn declared, placing the envelope on the glass. "The gender is in there, I'd like two dozen assorted cupcakes filled with whatever color goes with the gender."

 

"How exciting!" the girl exclaimed as she picked up the envelope. "How about I do some white, some chocolate, some red velvet, and peanut butter?"

 

"That'd be awesome, I'll just need to pick them up by 1pm on Saturday."

 

"I'll have everything ready by then, and congratulations!"

 

Laryn thanked her and left, making her way back to the apartment. When she saw that she still had a couple hours before Seb got home, she decided a nap was in order. She kicked off her flip flops and flopped down onto the couch, making herself comfortable underneath the throw blanket as she settled in and drifted off.

 

***************************************

 

What seemed like minutes later, Laryn was roused by her warm blanket disappearing before the edge of the couch dipped and a familiar weight sinked carefully onto her and settled between her legs. Soft lips placed tender kisses along her jawline and trailed back to just below her ear and she couldn't stifle the moan that escape her lips in her half-asleep state.

 

"Hey sleeping beauty," Seb breathed against the shell of her ear as she became more aware and pushed her pelvis up into his. "You hungry?"

 

"You could say that," she panted just before he sank his teeth into her pulsepoint, drawing out a louder moan as her fingers delved into his hair and tugged lightly. "But you seem to have something _else_ in mind."

 

"You looked so cute laying here, and then you moaned in your sleep and I just couldn't help myself," his hand disappeared under her tank top and found one of her breasts, massaging it gently and tweaking the already hardened nipple as his other hand yanked the garment up and freed her other breast. "You looked, didn't you?" he asked with a smirk as his lips latched onto her nipple, his hand still teasing the opposite one.

 

"Nope," she gasped, immediately knowing he was referring to the sex of the baby. Her hands left his hair and slid down his rippling back to claw at his shirt.

 

"No?" He leaned back and tore his shirt off before his hands grazed over her belly as he leaned down to kiss it before heading south and tugging her yoga pants and panties down in one swoop.

 

All she could muster as a response was to shake her head violently and let out a positively _pornographic_ moan when he thrust two long fingers into her without warning, prompting her to spread her legs as wide as she could.

 

"You're already soaked, doll," he observed, curving his fingers upward and pressing against that magic spot within her. "Dreaming about me?"

 

"Maybe," she replied, trying to sound coy but her answer ended up giving away how completely wrecked she already was for him.

 

He growled and stood, licking his fingers clean before removing the rest of his clothes, doing so all within about 5 seconds before yanking her pants from her feet and climbing back in between her legs. He tangled one hand in her messy hair while holding himself up with the other and pressed their already clammy foreheads together. "Look at me, _iubi_ ," he purred against her lips.

 

He smirked and buried himself inside her as soon as her eyes shot open. She cried out at how much more sensitive she was as her hands touched every inch of his skin that she could reach as their bodies slid against each other, fingertips tracing the muscles of his back and shoulders before grasping his waist to pull him in deeper with each thrust.

 

" _God_ , you're so beautiful," he groaned against her lips before speeding up the pace of his hips, chasing his orgasm as he pushed Laryn toward hers. She responded by keening and arching completely off the couch cushions.

 

He could feel her walls begin to contract and flutter around him as he hooked his fingers under her knee and pushed her leg upward along her side, changing the angle as he continued to piston into her, grazing her g-spot wonderfully. She wailed as she was sent tumbling over the edge, her walls squeezing his own release from him as he cried out a string of Romanian curses and collapsed onto the edge of the couch, caging her in as they tried to catch their breaths.

 

As they lay on the wide couch in a sweaty tangled mass of flesh and limbs, chests heaving as they panted, he smiled at the blissed out look on her face and nuzzled into the crook of her neck, leaving a patch of lazy kisses and tickling her with his stubble. He chuckled when her stomach made an embarrassingly loud hungry noise.

 

"I brought tacos," he said softly, tracing the tip of his nose against the freckled skin of her shoulder, kissing the black butterfly tattoo there.

 

"Oh my God, you're amazing! Marry me," she exclaimed as she flipped to her left side to face him, making his heart pound in his chest. "We can have a cake made of tacos!"

 

He grinned and sat up, finding his boxer briefs on the floor and pulling them on. "A taco cake," he repeated and she nodded furiously. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were dreaming of tacos."

 

"Actually," she began sheepishly, sitting up as a crimson blush crept down her face and neck, "I was dreaming that you were dressed like a taco and fucking me from behind."

 

He threw his head back and laughed loudly as he strode to the dining table and grabbed the takeout boxes of tacos, carrying them to the coffee table. "And the crazy pregnant dreams begin," he drawled, sitting and opening up all the food. "Dig in, doll."

 

Laryn stared at him for a minute, taking in every single little feature about him, every gesture, the way he smiled at her, the way he spoke to her. The way his eyes lit up with so much affection and emotion when he looked at her...

 

"What?" he asked, tilting his head and flashing that sexy lopsided smirk.

 

She shook her head and leaned against him, kissing his shoulder. "You really are the best."

 

He planted a lingering kiss to the top of her head and grabbed a taco, waving it in front of her face. "You better start eating before I eat everything," he teased before taking a large bite and stifling a laugh when she scrambled to claim a taco.

 

***************************************

 

Saturday arrived in no time flat and gender reveal preparations were in full swing. Sebastian had a cast meeting in the morning, which allowed Laryn and Natalie (who flew in Friday night) to work on decorations and a couple party games.

 

"I can't believe you don't know what it is yet," Natalie said as she stretched to tack streamers to the ceiling, nearly losing her footing on the step ladder. "That would be eating away at me like crazy!"

"Oh it is, trust me," Laryn admitted from her place next to the ladder, her hands in the air around Natalie in case she fell. "I just thought it'd be fun to surprise myself too. You know, suffer along with everyone else."

 

Natalie chuckled and shook her head as she carefully stepped off the ladder. "So are you allowed on set with him?"

 

Laryn shook her head. "He was gonna take me with him on the first day, but the Russos weren't having it so I just stay home or run errands."

 

"Totally not cool," Natalie said as she tutted.

 

"No, I get it. It's a huge franchise and they want everything to be top secret. I don't mind cooking and laying around the apartment with the furbabies," she turned her gaze to Leeloo, who sat nearby and watched the two chatty women hang decorations, then to Bucky the cat, who lay stretched across the back of the couch.

 

Natalie shrugged, stepping over to the coffee table and picking up a string of popout paper bells. "Well hopefully some of the cast will be here today." She squealed with excitement. "I've only ever met Sebastian, but hanging out with all the Avengers?! Oh my God."

 

"I know a few of them are coming, and Seb flew in his mom. Not gonna tell you which Avengers are gonna be here though," Laryn teased, sticking her tongue out.

 

"You're evil," Natalie groaned. "If I embarrass myself in front of Chris Evans I'll strangle you."

 

The two girls shared a laugh before there was a short but firm knock at the door. "We've still got an hour or so, who could that be?" Laryn headed for the door and swung it open.

 

"Surprise!" her mother, Ruth, shouted as she lunged forward and hugged her oldest daughter.

 

"Mommy!" Laryn wailed, nearly shedding tears of joy as they parted and she allowed her parents entry.

 

"Sebastian flew us in last night as a surprise," Ruth said. "What can I do to help?"

 

As Laryn's dad, Steve, set a large drink fountain on the bar, Laryn put her mom to work hanging up banners and more streamers and hugged her dad before he went back to the car to grab more party items.

 

Laryn started setting out half-pink/half-blue iced cookies across the confetti-covered dining table when the front door opened and Steve marched back in carrying a large crystal punch bowl, followed by Seb hauling a large box of the cupcakes Laryn had ordered.

 

"Hey babe," he called across the living room as he approached the table, setting the boxes down and enveloping her in his thick, strong arms. "Half an hour and counting."

 

"I know," Laryn huffed out as they parted. "I haven't even gotten all the stuff put out yet."

 

"Tell me what you want me to do," he said, awaiting orders.

 

"Actually, could you work on getting the grill ready?"

 

"Certainly," he gave her a chaste kiss before going out onto the patio and fiddling with the grill.

 

As she got to work mixing ginger ale, pineapple juice, and lime sherbet for the punch, Steve shuffled over to the table.

 

"I brought you a little something," he whispered, setting down a huge case of Big Red soda. "I realize you're not in New York right now, but I imagine it's been forever since you've had one of these anyway."

 

"Oh my God yes," Laryn hugged her dad again amd immediately took out a can, popping it open and retrieving a cup of ice to pour it over. "You're the best, Daddy!" She kissed his cheek and went back to the punch.

 

Soon enough people started arriving. Elizabeth was first, followed by Evans and Scarlett (which triggered Natalie's inner fangirl). Not long after, Anthony, Robert, and Hemsworth arrived, and then Seb went to fetch his mother.

 

"Alright everyone," Laryn shouted over the small commotion, holding a tupperware container full of pink and blue clothespins, "grab a clothespin, pink if you think it's a girl, and blue if you think it's a boy."

 

Scarlett was first in line with Rose on her hip. "I'll take a pink one," she winked as she clipped the pin to Rose's shirt and moved aside. Both Chrises took blue pins, as well as Steve, while everyone else took pink.

 

Minutes later, Seb returned with his mom and took a blue pin while Laryn and Georgeta took pink pins. "My son was a delight to raise, but I would love a granddaughter," Georgeta confided in Laryn in hushed tones.

 

As everyone settled into conversation again, Seb took food orders before heading out to the grill, Laryn's father close behind carrying a couple beers. Laryn watched them and began to wonder what they were talking about, as Seb was doing most of the talking, then they hugged. _What the hell? Dad never hugs anyone!_ When Sebastian's gaze landed on her through the sliding glass door, she mouthed "What?" and she only received a wink in response.

 

Burgers and hot dogs began circulating as Laryn sat in the corner of the couch with her hot dog and observed the small crowd that had gathered for her and Seb. She smiled when she noticed Evans flirting heavily with Natalie across the room and had to stifle a laugh when Natalie went beet red when he leaned in close to whisper something in her ear.

 

Seb and her dad soon came in as everyone had gotten their food and it was now their turn. "This is a nice turnout, yeah?" Seb asked her as he took a seat next to her with his burger and patted her thigh.

 

"Yeah," she replied dreamily before shoving the last bite of her hot dog into her mouth, chewing quickly. "So what were you and Daddy talking about earlier?"

 

"Oh nothing," he shrugged nonchalantly.

 

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and stood to throw her plate away, heading for the boxes of cupcakes. She opened one carefully and stared in awe at the array of assorted cupcakes, anxious to bite into one and find out what she was having.

 

She spun on her heel to look around the room, making sure everyone was finished eating before gathering attention. "Alright, cupcakes anyone? These cupcakes hold the answer to whether I'm having a boy or girl!"

 

They didn't have to be asked twice; a line formed instantaneously and within a minute, everyone had a cupcake.

 

"On the count of three," Seb instructed. "One, two, three!"

 

The room fell silent as the group bit into their respective cupcakes. Laryn pinched her eyes shut and tried to calm her pounding heart as she finally opened her eyes and gasped as she stared wide-eyed at the _pink_ icing oozing from the center. "Oh my God..."

 

The room erupted in shrilling whistles and cheers and soon everyone wanted to hug her and congratulate the happy couple on their little princess.

 

In the midst of the celebratory clamor, Sebastian turned to her with teary eyes and cupped her face, kissing her almost roughly as he wrapped his arms around her. "I love you _so fucking much_ ," he muttered between kisses to various parts of her face. "I can't wait any longer."

 

Laryn may as well have had a giant question mark painted on her face. "Wait?" she asked slowly.

 

"Laryn," he took her hands and kissed each one before continuing, "you blew into my life like a hurricane. A beautiful, fiesty, compassionate, sweet, intelligent, driven, energetic hurricane. I wasn't very happy with myself the day I found you sitting on the side of the street with all your things, but you've brought me so much happiness that sometimes I wonder if I'm dreaming when I look at you. You don't even know, and I don't even know if I can put into words how _perfect_ you are."

 

Laryn's eyes began to water as the breath was knocked from her lungs. She chewed her lip as she listened, neither of them taking note of how quiet the room had gotten.

 

"You've made me realize that I was unhappy because I hadn't found you. But now I have you, and our baby girl," he placed a hand carefully over her belly, "and I can't let go. I'll spend the rest of my life showing you, too. I'll even beg if I have to." She gasped when he lowered to the floor, kneeling before her without breaking eye contact for a single nanosecond and fishing in his pocket, pulling out the small black velvet box he had been hiding. "Laryn Ember Jones, marry me. _Please_." He opened the box, revealing a beautiful white gold ring with an enormous tension-held diamond centered between two purple amethysts.

 

"Oh my God," she breathed as fat tears rolled down her flushed cheeks. " _Oh my God_ \--I wasn't serious the other day when I said... I mean that doesn't mean I don't-- _fuck_ , are you serious?!"

 

Seb chewed his lip and became more anxious as she babbled mindlessly. She didn't miss the look of diappointment forming on his face as he stared up at her with blue-grey eyes full of hope and love. "I'm sorry, fuck I talk too much... Yes, of course, _yes_!"

 

Sebastian leapt to his feet and pulled her into his arms, seemingly trying to imitate wrapping paper as he enveloped her completely and kissed her _everywhere_ while their audience cheered exponentially louder. He pulled away from her, took her left hand, and shakily slid the ring onto her finger. "You've made me whole," he breathed before giving her what she considered to be the most passionate kiss she had ever been on the receiving end of, while everyone else still cheered for them.

 

They couldn't keep their hands off each other for the rest of the evening, even while the party still went on. Their little world they built together had been completed and Laryn was most definitely the happiest girl on earth. Nothing could pop the bubble of happiness that surrounded them.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some filler with some fluff and then some sexytimes :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg y'all I'm so sorry for the delay! D: work has been crazy, life in general has been crazy, and my phone sucks to top it off. But I did get a new chapter written so here it is! Enjoy :)

 

 

 

 

On a particularly hot day in mid-June, Laryn lay half-naked and sweating buckets on the couch while Sebastian was out filming, and she was bored. _So very bored._ She had gotten some cleaning done, not that there was much cleaning to do, and she had the rest of the afternoon to herself.

 

Grazing her clammy palms over her belly and tugging her flimsy tank up underneath her swelling breasts, she sighed rather loudly in annoyance. She thought about skimming through Netflix--again, for the umpteenth time--but she knew there was nothing that sparked her interest at the moment. She pondered more possibilities as the shimmer of her engagement ring caught her eye, causing her full lips to curl up into a smile as she stared at it.

 

Her gaze flitted about the room and landed on her ipad. She dragged herself from the couch and padded across the soft carpet to where it lay on the bar, picked it up and went right back to the couch. She propped it up on her belly and decided a game of solitaire would do the trick. _Really, Laryn? Solitaire?_ She rolled her eyes and wondered where the hell her earbuds disappeared to. Seb had a habit of stealing them and leaving them in oddball places, so there was no point in even looking.

 

She groaned when her tummy growled loud enough to echo through the room, and she wished that she had some pizza. Everyone loves pizza, especially her, and pizza with strange combinations of toppings had been her main pregnancy craving so far, much to Seb's delight and amusement.

 

Then an idea dawned on her as she scrolled through her music library. "Why haven't I gotten a pair of big baby bump headphones yet?" she asked Bucky the cat, who simply stared at her as if she had just offended his ancestors before leaping gracefully from the back of the couch with a soft _mrow_ and made himself comfortable on the cushion next to hers. Yep, she had something to do now. She launched herself from her place on the couch and ran back to the bedroom to put on a bra and a comfy band tee before slipping on her flip flops and grabbing her purse, heading for the door.

 

It didn't take her long to locate the nearest electronics store, park and slowly make her way through the sliding double doors. The dull burning pain in her lower back made her wince as she found the wall of headphones, muttering lowly to herself about the outrageously high prices of some of the nicer brands as she reached back to rub small circles into the flesh of the small of her back.

 

A Cheshire grin lit up her face as she found the perfect pair, huge like she wanted, but not too costly. She called the closest Pizza Hut and ordered her favorite as she made her way back to the front of the store to check out, answering the cheery cashier girl's questions about her due date and what kind of music she would be playing for her unborn child.

 

Now glowing with more pride than before, she took her bag out to the car and headed over to pick up her food before returning home. Once she entered the apartment and avoided being tackled by Leeloo for her pizza, she set everything on the coffee table and plugged her new headphones into the ipad and set them around her belly, deciding Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon as an excellent choice for baby's first music before digging in to her pepperoni/mushroom/pineapple/green pepper stuffed crust masterpiece of a pizza. She lifted a large piece from the box and took a bite, groaning at how utterly _perfect_ and delicious the food was as she fell back against the back of the couch.

 

The next couple hours were spent snacking on pizza and the chocolate dunker sticks she got along with her pizza, big headphones resting on her belly and switching from Pink Floyd to Amaranthe to Sarah Brightman to Starset before she trudged back to the bedroom and stripped down to her lace panties before climbing into bed, falling into a food coma as the cool sheets hugged her body.

 

***************************************

 

The sound of the front door closing roused Laryn from her slumber. She peeked one eye open and found the alarm clock with her sleep-blurred vision: 6:23pm. She stretched as she rolled over onto her back, emitting a high-pitched groan before sliding out of bed and pulling her tee back on before padding into the living room to find Seb face down on the couch.

 

Giggling as she approached him, she kneeled down beside him and combed her fingers through his long, messy hair, drawing a sigh from him. "Long day?" she whispered as she pushed his hair from his neck and began placing soft kisses against the flesh below his ear.

 

"Mmmfph," he mumbled into the fabric of the couch, not moving a single muscle.

 

She smirked and ran her hand across his shoulders, rubbing circles through the thin material of his tight-fitting t-shirt into the muscles there until he made a small pained noise, causing her to pull her hand away. "Please don't stop baby," the words tumbled from his lips as he turned his head to the side, his voice deep and husky with fatigue, eyes closed.

 

Smiling more at his request than to herself, Laryn leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth before slowly, carefully climbing onto the couch. She swung her left leg over his torso and settled onto his ass, straddling him as she shoved his shirt up and began to massage circles into his back and shoulders.

 

She opened her mouth to ask him if he was okay when he let out a strangled moan. She smirked as her fingers moved downward over the rippling muscles of his back, occasionally alternating between using her fingers and the heels of her hands. Either way, she wasn't getting any complaints.

 

When he melted into a groaning puddle beneath her and became totally relaxed, she grazed her lips over the place between his shoulder blades and climbed off, allowing him to sit up.

 

"Better?" she asked, standing before him with her arms crossed and hip jutted out as if she expected him to tell her how terrible she is.

 

He simply grinned widely and reached out, grasping the hem of her shorts and yanking her to him, catching her on the way and guiding her down to the couch next to him. "You ever considered becoming a masseuse?" he cooed against her ear as he ran his hands up and down her arms, placing kisses here and there along her neck, grazing the tip of his nose up to behind her ear.

 

"Never gave it a thought, actually," she squeaked, trying to ignore how he managed to make her soak through all her panties without doing much of anything.

 

"You totally could," he continued, smiling against her lips when she turned her head to kiss him, his tongue parting her lips expertly and making her sigh. He drew back an inch and studied her eyes up close as he placed a hand across her belly. "How are my girls to..." he trailed off and glanced downward with wide eyes.

 

"You feel that?" Laryn giggled, taking his hand and moving it just slightly, leaving it more to the left side of her belly and smiling when he gasped.

 

"She kicked right into my hand," he marveled at the unborn girl's strength as he let out an elated chuckle.

 

"You hungry?" Laryn asked when Seb's stomach made that telltale growl. "There's leftover pizza in the oven."

 

He raised his head and chuckled, moving his hand from her belly to curl around the nape of her neck. "Craving more of your crazy toppings?" He didn't have to ask, he knew. She did the same thing when she got stoned, and he loved that she was never a picky eater.

 

"Of course," she rolled her eyes playfully as he stood and headed for the kitchen. "And the chocolate dunkers!"

 

"Can't forget about the chocolate," he called over his shoulder as he pulled the pizza box from the oven and stuck a couple of the larger pieces on a plate, setting it in the microwave. "You want any, sweetheart?"

 

"No, I ordered it pretty late so I'm good," she replied from her place on the couch. After a minute, he retrieved his pizza and headed back to the couch, stopping short of the coffee table to admire the way Laryn glowed, looking positively angelic in the way she perched herself on the edge of the cushion, big green eyes shimmering, head tilted to the side as she silently questioned his actions.

 

He shot her that toothy megawatt smile, rounding the end of the table and setting his food there as he sat next to his fiancée, practically right up against her as he turned his body to face her and cradled her face in his hands. "Have I told you how much I absolutely adore you?" he asked softly.

 

"Several times a day, but go ahead and humor me," she ended her statement by drawing her lip between her teeth as she grinned at him, placing a hand on his knee while the other curled lightly around his wrist.

 

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and pressed his lips to hers, swallowing the soft moan she allowed to escape her throat as he grathered her hair in his fist to hold her in place while he deepened the kiss. She chased his lips when he pulled away, causing him to chuckle softly and let her give him a few more short pecks. "No words could ever express how much you mean to me," he confessed, and she beamed at him. "And now that I think about it, don't become a masseuse. I want those hands all to myself." She laughed heartily at his quip as he reached for his food.

 

"Aww, jealous already, sugar?" she cooed, picking a pineapple from the slice of pizza in his hand and popping it in her mouth.

 

"Just protective," he admitted between large bites of pizza, his eyes tripping over the giant headphones at the other end of the table before turning back to her. "Getting started on the belly music without me, huh?"

 

She nodded as she picked up the headset. "Got these for a steal, too. Don't worry, I included some Pink Floyd. How could I not?"

 

"Good girl," he purred, pecking her cheek loudly.

 

"I was a Floyd baby too, you know," she mused, remembering what her mom told her about all those hours spent in labor with nothing to listen to but an old Pink Floyd cassette tape.

 

"Really," he raised an eyebrow and smirked in amusement. God, if this woman wasn't perfect.

 

"Mhm, Dark Side of the Moon and Animals nonstop for 20 hours. And coincidentally enough those are my two favorite albums."

 

"Your mom has excellent taste," he said, finishing off his pizza and taking the plate to the kitchen, rinsing it off and placing it in the dishwasher.

 

"Not to mention she created a fucking awesome human," Laryn joked, gesturing to herself. Seb laughed as he sat back down, pulling her into his arms and grabbing the remote from the arm of the couch to turn Netflix on.

 

"Anything in particular?" he asked. He always asked her first, such a perfect gentleman.

 

"Well, I do need to finish Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," she mused.

 

"S.H.I.E.L.D. it is," he declared as he selected the show from the "Continue Watching" category and settled into the inner corner of the couch cushions, Laryn resting against his chest with his arm slung over her.

 

Within minutes of being sucked into the world of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and enhanced humans, Laryn took notice of Seb's fingers brushing light patterns into the skin where her cleavage began. She thought for a moment that he didn't realize what he was doing, but then his hand began to travel. Soon he was circling one of her nipples and pinching it when it hardened, causing Laryn to damn near chew a hole through her bottom lip as she contained her mewls and moans, but the way she clenched her thighs together didn't go unnoticed. The way he massaged her breast and tweaked the puckered bud almost hurt, her breasts had grown increasingly sensitive due to the pregnancy, but _fuck_ , she wanted him to keep going or she might explode.

 

Suddenly he pulled on her nipple a little harder than he had been, causing her to cry out in a delicious mixture of pleasure and pain. "There you are," he purred into her hair, his other hand now joining the first as they moved seemingly everywhere, making her squirm. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked huskily. _Are you fucking kidding me?!_

 

"God please don't," she breathed, already becoming a panting mess for him. He grinned and slid his hand lower to pull the hem of her tank top up over her heaving breasts, already painfully aware that she wasn't wearing a bra. She let out a string of sighs and moans as he got back to work, kneading and pinching and tweaking until he needed more.

 

"Up," he commanded, patting her side lightly. She shot up off the couch so quickly she may as well have taken off through the ceiling. She tore her shirt over her head and dumped herself at the other end of the couch, spreading her legs for him and staring at him wantonly through hooded eyes as she bit her lip. He smirked as he scooted closer until he sat between her legs and grazed his hands up her legs, from her knees to the apex of her creamy thighs. He slid a finger beneath her lacy panties, pulled the material away from her flesh and let it snap back before he began to rub torturous circles into her clothed mound with his thumb. When she bucked her hips into his hand and groaned, he pressed harder and earned some kind of broken sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a moan.

 

Finally he pulled them down and off her legs, tossing them somewhere behind him before he leaned down and flattened his tongue against her, licking a broad stripe up her slit. As if simply testing the waters, he paused and savored the taste of her, inhaled her scent deeply before growling and burying his tongue within her, placing his palms against the backs of her thighs and pushing them, opening her up more.

 

Time seemed to stop and he wasted none of it devouring her, and the more he lapped at her core, the more obscene noises he made, the louder she became, and the harder she yanked on his hair. He peered up at her with black, lust-blown eyes and caught her staring. He winked just as his index and middle finger entered her, so achingly slowly. He teased her for a minute, maintaining the slow pace of his fingers while his lips closed around her bundle of nerves, tongue flicking at it beautifully as she cried his name to the ceiling.

 

As he watched her come undone before him, he withdrew his fingers and raised them to her lips, and to his utter delight she grasped his wrist and drew them into her mouth, her eyes rolling back as she swirled her tongue around them and tasted herself and _fuck_ if it wasn't the hottest fucking thing he'd ever seen. He felt his member twitch against his jeans as he shoved his fingers back inside her and curled them upward, tickling her g-spot and causing her walls to clench around him. He drank her up completely as she hurtled over the edge, thighs trembling and back arching off the couch.

 

He eased her back to reality and took pride in the way she sighed and turned to jello. "I'm not done with you, doll," he purred against her thigh as she relaxed against the arm of the couch.

 

"Good," she breathed, her eyes fluttering shut as the aftershocks jolted her body.

 

He stood momentarily to rid himself of all clothing before climbing over her and settling between her thighs, the length of his fully hardened member pressing against all the right places as he assaulted her mouth, careful not to put too much pressure on her belly.

 

She couldn't keep her hips from pressing upward, dying for friction as she moaned shamelessly into his mouth and proded her tongue against his until he couldn't stall any longer. He rested his forehead against the crook of her neck as he pushed into her, agonizingly slowly, wanting to draw this out as long as he could. "God you feel like fucking _heaven_ ," he gritted, having to use every ounce of willpower he had not to just pound into her.

 

Once fully seated within her, he raised his head and found her gaze, eyes glazed over and barely a sliver of bright green around her pupils as she panted and tried to move against him. He smirked and slotted his swollen lips against hers once more before dragging out of her just as slowly, then pushing back in. "Seb _please_ ," Laryn begged, her breathing ragged against his lips.

 

"Please what, baby girl?" God dammit, she could slap that smug smirk right off his face, but she loved him entirely too much to be angry at him when he was making her feel so amazing.

 

"Please fuck me," she groaned out just as he began to withdraw again. He grinned; he could listen to her beg all day long.

 

"It's so hard denying you anything, doll," he purred, voice dripping sex and sweet as honey, just before slamming into her. She nearly screamed as her nails dug into his back, leaving little half moons that may or may not have actually drawn blood. "Too bad I like it slow," he quipped as he dragged himself slowly out again, chuckling when she glared at him.

 

"God dammit Sebastian," she ground out as she threw her head back.

 

He then decided to show her mercy and pound back into her, immediately setting a brutal pace. "Is this what you wanted, _draga_?" he hissed into her ear before biting her pulsepoint.

 

" _Oh my God_ don't fucking stop," she moaned loudly and Seb was sure the neighbors could hear, but he didn't give a fuck. He fisted a hand into her hair and yanked her head to the side, burying his face in the crook of her neck and moanibg something in Romanian as he pistoned into her.

 

He could feel her tightening around him and when he hooked his hand underneath her knee, lifting her leg up to adjust the angle, she arched completely off the couch and screamed out her orgasm, meeting each of his erratic thrusts as his pace slowed and she brought him over the edge with her.

 

Careful not to collapse on top of her when completely spent, he graciously waited for her to make room enough for him to lay next to her, crammed together awkwardly as her larger belly didn't provide much space for them to both lay on the couch. He curled his arm over her belly and nuzzled his face against her neck, peppering kisses to every inch of skin he could reach. "You okay?" he asked, condtantly worrying that he might be too rough and hurt her or the baby.

 

"I'm fantastic," she drawled as she sighed heavily, covering his hand with hers and laughing when they felt the baby kick again. "She might be a little grossed out, though."

 

Seb laughed and hugged her tighter, silence falling between them as Agent Coulson went on about who knows what on the tv behind them. "I think we missed something important," Seb said as he regained his strength and sat up.

 

"That's the beauty of Netflix," Laryn retorted as she reached over him and grabbed the remote, "you can rewind." She settled into Seb's side and went back to where they left off.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of Laryn's daily routines, some flutty smuttiness, and a tragic surprise at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg y'all I'm so sorry for taking so long to update D: work has gotten super crazy and I kind of hit a block on this one. I had to throw a wrench into it, PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

 

 

 

 

As Laryn's due date grew ever closer, she began to feel the emotional toll of soon-to-be motherhood and, being the bipolar mess she had tried so hard to leave behind, she thought it a good idea to start seeing a psychiatrist. Naturally, Sebastian was on board for anything he felt might help his future bride and even offered to accompany her to appointments.

 

"You don't have to, especially if it interferes with your work schedule, babe," she assured him with a timid smile as he prepared for another long day of filming.

 

"Fuck my work schedule," he quipped sternly, standing his ground before letting out a chuckle. "Okay, maybe not. But I can work something out with Russo if you ever want me to come with you."

 

"I've done the whole shrink thing before," she admitted, tugging a loose-fitting t-shirt over her head and smoothing it over her protruding tummy. "It's not so bad. I always felt so... Locked up tight when I was back home. Honestly, you've taught me how to open up more so I think it'll be easier this time around."

 

Seb grinned at her affectionately, the twinkle in his eyes warming her heart as he leaned in to kiss her. "Every day I love you more and more," he muttered into her hair as he pulled her into his arms.

 

"It's my cooking and my impeccable knack for walking into things, I just know it," she drawled facetiously as she poked his sides, causing him to jump.

 

"Yes, our daughter will learn well under your careful training, Master Jedi," he joked back before placing a lingering kiss to her lips. "I gotta run. Takeout tonight?" His eyes searched hers hopefully. This man and his pizza...

 

She laughed. "Be sure to switch up my weirdass topping combo," she requested as she walked him to the front door and saw him off.

 

Once she watched him climb into the car with Chris and pull off onto the main thoroughfare, she finished getting ready for her first session. She made sure to request a female doctor with children so it would be easier for her to form a connection with said doctor and maybe share some of the same fears and concerns.

 

She flitted about the apartment, feeding Leeloo and Bucky the exceptionally grumpy cat before heading out. It took about 45 minutes to get to the doctor's office, having had to take the highway during the morning rush hour, but she managed to make it with enough time to fill out her paperwork.

 

She sat tensely on one of the leather couches in the lobby, flipping through a magazine and nervously checking the time on her phone when the receptionist peeked through the door. "Miss Jones?" she called in an almost sing-song voice as she read Laryn's name off a chart.

 

Laryn stood and approached her, tossing her purse straps over her shoulder. She smiled warmly at the girl, who couldn't have been more than 20 years old, as she was ushered to a room near the end of the long hallway. "If you'd like to have a seat or lay on the chaise, the doctor will be with you in a moment," the girl chirped before closing the door and leaving Laryn temporarily alone.

 

The room was rather plain, the walls painted a dingy beige with one solitary framed painting of a beach at sunset, and there were two big armchairs along with the chaise and a small table. A lonely fern sat in the corner next to the one window.

 

As she stood in front of the painting, seemingly getting lost in the shimmering waves rolling up onto the sand, there was a small knock at the door before it opened. "Good morning," the doctor chimed as she entered, closing the door behind her.

 

"Hi, so nice to meet you," Laryn said, extending her hand as they greeted each other before sitting on the chaise.

 

The doctor, called Dr. Kline, had a warm and calming demeanor and a kind face. She appeared to be in her 40s and indeed had two children whom were both in high school. She made sure Laryn was comfortable, asking if she wanted something to drink before sitting across from her in one of the big cushy armchairs.

 

Dr. Kline asked Laryn to begin with her back story, where she came from, her family, her history with manic depression. That was the easy part: laying bare all of her family dysfunctions, her previous marriage and how psychologically abusive her ex-husband had been, how he hunted her down once she moved to New York.

 

"My goodness," the doctor gasped in disbelief as her hand shot up to cover her gaping mouth. "He's paying the price, I hope."

 

"He's currently serving time," Laryn assured her.

 

"And do you have any reason to  fear that history might repeat itself with your current partner?"

 

Laryn shook her head. "Absolutely not. Sebastian has the kindest heart. He's very grounded, humble, compassionate, and passionate. He pours his heart and soul into his acting and our relationship, he's a very happy man."

 

The doctor smiled. "You said he's an actor. How busy is he exactly?"

 

Laryn chuckled inwardly. She kept forgetting that not everyone on the planet knows who he is. "Well, he's currently filming a movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so he's pretty busy."

 

"Ah yes," Dr. Kline nodded, "my sons love those movies. Are you concerned that his work will keep him away from his child for long periods of time?"

 

Laryn shifted in her seat and clasped her hands over her belly. "Not really. He insists that I go with him, so I imagine that will be the case more often than not even after the baby is born. He's been very expressive about how he wants to be present in his daughter's life as much as possible."

 

"That's good to hear. So tell me, what brought you in to see me?"

 

Laryn sighed as she tried to string together the appropriate words. "Well," she began, grazing her palms over her belly as she tilted her head in thought, "I guess I'm really just afraid of childbirth. This is my first ever pregnancy, I'm 30 years old, and I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. I know that complications are always possible. And I'm afraid that I'll make mistakes or be a bad mother."

 

"That's perfectly normal," the doctor smiled reassuringly. "All first-time mothers have these fears. I definitely did. I was much younger than you when my first son was born. But all you can do is your very best, and love your child unconditionally. Think of it this way, no matter how your life has been laid out thus far, you want to have the mindset of giving your child a better life than you had."

 

The session went on as smoothly as it started and by the end Laryn decided that she would definitely be returning to this doctor. She set up another appointment in a month and left, headed for the grocery store.

 

As she pulled into the store lot, her phone rang. "Hey baby," she answered just as she pulled into a parking space.

 

"Hey, how'd your appointment go?" Seb asked, sounding slightly winded.

 

"It was great, I really like her," she gushed, going on to mention how Dr. Kline managed to calm her nerves for a bit.

 

"That's fantastic doll. I had a few minutes to take a break so I wanted to check up on you."

 

"I'm fine, I just got to the store. You need anything?"

 

"No I think I'm good. Oh, I do want to mention the whole cast and some of the crew are having a luncheon this weekend. You don't have to go if you're not feeling up to it, but I'd love it if you joined me."

 

"Of course babe," she chuckled. "You know I love mingling with the cast."

 

"Great," she could hear the big shiteating grin in his voice; he loved to show her off any chance he got. "I'll let you get to your shopping then. I'll be home around 6ish. Love you, sweetheart."

 

"I love you too," she chimed before hanging up and climbing out of the car.

 

As she roamed around the store gathering various items for meals throughout the week, she noticed she was beginning to waddle already due to the size of her baby bump. Slightly annoyed, she sped up the shopping process as much as she could and checked out.

 

When she made it back to the apartment, she put the groceries away and slipped out of her bra and shorts, depositing them on the floor before collapsing on her back onto the couch, coaxing Leeloo to lay with her. The overly affectionate pit bull had taken to laying her head over Laryn's baby bump in the most adorable way. Whether she knew there was a tiny human inside or not, Laryn insisted that she did know and had already grown to love the baby. She settled into the cushions and drifted off.

 

***************************************

 

Laryn hadn't really intended to sleep all afternoon, but it was nearly 6pm when the sound of the front door closing stirred her from slumber. She peeked one eye open to an exhausted looking Sebastian carrying a pizza box. She smiled warmly as she stretched and made room on the couch for him. She loved that despite his crazy work schedule he still managed that sunny smile of his.

 

"Sorry to wake you," he cooed as his free arm curled around her shoulders and pulled her to him, kissing her hair. "But I brought food to make up for it."

 

"You shouldn't have," she joked as she slung her arms around his middle while Leeloo sat pinned between them, whining as she made every attempt to attack Seb with kisses. "So what's on the menu tonight?" she asked as she leaned forward to open the box.

 

"Chicken and mushroom alfredo sounded good," Seb replied, taking a piece.

 

Laryn temporarily turned into a kid on Christmas day as she grinned like mad and bounced in her seat, drawing a chuckle from her fiancé. They ate in comfortable silence before she turned Netflix on and selected Agents of Shield, having not quite finished season 2 yet.

 

Before she got sucked into her show, Seb turned to her. "You should go dress shopping for that luncheon," he suggested, allowing his eyes to scan over her form.

 

She quirked an eyebrow at him knowingly. "You just like staring at my legs," she quipped between bites of pizza.

 

"That's neither here nor there," he retorted softly, drawing his lip between his teeth as he admired her bare legs. He pulled her feet into his lap and began to run his fingertips across her skin before continuing, "Maybe I just like showing you off."

 

"Okay Stan, I'll humor you," she clasped her hands over her belly. "What's the dress code?"

 

He grinned. "No dress code, I just thought you'd like a ladies day out shopping with Scarlett and Lizzie." 

He continued to move his fingers lazily along her flesh, watching the goosebumps in their wake as he headed north up her inner thigh, his eyes darkening as they darted between her eyes, her parted lips, and the apex of her thighs. "You should definitely wear a dress though."

 

"You're playing dirty," she breathed, her legs falling open for him.

 

"You love it," he purred, slipping his deft fingers beneath her panties and sliding between her folds, delighted to find her wet already. "You're insatiable, aren't you doll?"

 

She whimpered as her head fell back against the arm of the couch, eyes falling closed as she bucked her hips into his hand, demanding more.

 

"Close your legs, baby," he cooed, withdrawing his hand as he tapped the outside of her knee with the other. She threw her legs together and he curled his fingers into the waistband of her panties, dragging them down her legs and tossing them over his shoulder. He pushed them back open as he lowered himself and helped him self to dessert.

 

She would never get tired of watching him go down on her; he enjoyed it as much as she did, and he certainly knew what he was doing. His head dipped low as his tongue licked up the length of her slit, disappearing into her entrance as his hand went to her calf, slinging her leg over his shoulder and holding it there. His free hand went to assist his perfect mouth, the thumb pressing down on her oversensitive nub and rubbing slow circles.

 

She tried to keep watching him, she really did; the way his eyes rolled back as he drank her in, the sinful sounds that fell past his lips as he devoured her; and ultimately, how he would glance up her body and lock eyes with her drove her to the brink of orgasm all too quickly. Her left hand darted down to tangle in his hair while her right flew behind her head to vice grip the arm of the couch, allowing her to gain some leverage and thrust her hips into his face as she panted and moaned for him.

 

About the fourth time her hips flew upward, he bore down aggressively with his thumb, and that was it for her. She cried out and her hips faltered as he worked her over the edge, happily drowning in her arousal as he greedily lapped up every drop.

 

As her haze cleared and she sank deeper into the couch, Laryn hissed as she arched off the cushions. Seb frowned at the obvious discomfort etched scross her face. "What's wrong?" he asked, voice laced with concern as he kneeled next to her.

 

Laryn winced as she slowly sat up. "My lower back," she grumbled, her hands moving to make a feeble attempt at rubbing the small of her back. "This baby's killing it."

 

Seb pursed his lips in thought before smiling. "I'll be right back," he said before padding down the hallway to the bedroom. Laryn pushed herself to sit up as she watched the hallway curiously, waiting for Seb to reemerge.

 

Seconds later, he did so, with her mother's orange aromatherapy warming rice bag that she loved so much. He held it up and waved it lightly. "Your mom said you've probably been missing this and that it might come in handy," he said as he made his way to the microwave to warm the rice bag.

 

Laryn beamed at her mom's thoughtfulness and Seb's caring nature. "Yeah, that thing's pretty awesome," she affirmed, sneakily tearing her shirt off while he had his back turned to leave herself fully exposed to him. "Helps a lot with my chronic inflammatory crap, along with trusty ole mary jane."

 

"Well unfortunately, darlin', you should probably abstain from the latter for now," Seb chuckled as he plucked the rice bag from the microwave and turned on his heel, reentering the living room. He paused and nearly dropped the bag upon finding her completely naked, perched on the edge of the cushions with her hands stretched out behind her and leaning on them, gorgeous toothy smile pushing her rosy cheeks toward her mischievously glinting eyes. "What'd you have in mind, _iubi_?" he asked, taking slow strides to the couch as his eyes raked over her from top to bottom and back.

 

She ran her teeth across her bottom lip and tilted her head in thought. "Why don't you lose those clothes while I think about it?" she suggested.

 

He nodded knowingly before tossing the rice bag onto the couch next to her and reaching over his shoulder, gathering a handful of the back of his t-shirt. Laryn settled into the couch and licked her lips as she watched him pull the garment over his head one-handed, the muscles of his bicep flexing and bulging as he did so.

 

Laryn sat up straight and crooked her index finger, beckoning him to her. He closed the gap between them in wide strides, reaching down and cupping her chin as she ran her soft fingertips down his sculpted abs to the fly of his jeans. She made quick work of opening and working his pants down, bringing his Calvins down with them and allowing his erection to spring free. She wrapped her fingers around the base and wasted no time in running her tongue across the tip, relishing the way his breath hitched before she took him fully into her warm, velvety mouth.

 

She massaged the underside with her tongue as she began to bob her head, placing one hand on his hip while snaking the other down to her heat. She moaned around him as she applied pressure to her nub, drawing a long and heavy groan from him as he watched her pleasure both of them.

 

She surprised him by grazing her teeth softly over the top of his shaft, drawing an obscenely loud moan from his lips. "Fuuuuck do that again _draga mea_ ," he hissed, his jaw going slack as she complied, nearly making his knees almost give out as he pulled himself from the comforting warmth of her mouth. He bent down and latched his lips onto hers in a flash, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth as he gripped the back of her head, swallowing her mewls and whimpers for a moment before pulling away just a hair. "God I love you," he purred, still so close that their noses touched, before standing. "Turn around, knees on the edge. I have an idea," he grinned as she did as he asked, parting her knees.

 

"I think I know where this is going," she sighed, gripping the back of the couch and wiggling her plump ass at him as she watched him take the still-warm rice bag and laying it across her lower back. "Better already," she breathed.

 

"Good," Seb cooed from behind her, leaning down to pepper her shoulders and back with wet suckling kisses while his hands splayed out around her ribcage, skating up and down her sides as his thumbs rubbed soothingly into her soft flesh.

 

"You could be a masseuse, babe, that feels grea- _aahhhh fuuuck_!" Laryn's statement morphed into a heady moan as Seb slipped inside her from behind without warning, inching his way in slowly until he bottomed out.

 

He stilled himself and straightened the rice bag as it started to slide, chewing his lip as he tried to maintain some self-control. "This what you were expecting, baby?" he huffed shakily, gripping her hips tightly.

 

"You're a talented mind-reader," she gasped, intentionally clenching around him and causing him to push in impossibly further. "Please move," she begged.

 

"As you wish." His grip on her hips tightened as he set a slow, deep pace, the crown of her head thudding against the back cushions as she was sent rocking forward by each thrust. He damn near chewed through his lip as he groaned and held on to her, pulling her hips into his as he met her halfway and knocked some sexy little sound past her lips.

 

Soon she began to squirm and whimper, the feeling of him filling her up immensely pleasurable, but she needed more. "Harder baby, _please_ ," she pleaded shakily.

 

Seb moaned as he leaned down and slid a hand under her, placing his palm flat on her chest and pulling her up against him, still seated fully inside her. He used his free hand to pull her hair to the side so he could latch onto her neck, nipping and sucking up to her ear. "How can I keep my pretty girl waiting?" he purred against the shell of her ear, sending shivers straight to her core as he pulled out almost completely and in one swift motion, slammed back into her.

 

She arched against him and cried out as he set a new bruising pace, snapping his hips forward at top speed as he held her close. His panting breath was hot on her cheek as he moved his left hand up from her chest to rest at the base of her throat, not squeezing, but pressing her back to his front, in turn holding the rice bag in place.

 

Never in all of her years of sexual activity had a man been so intimate with her than Sebastian Stan. He turned sex into an otherworldly experience, worshipping her body, breathing her in, completely losing himself in her. His lips never left her skin, trailing here and there along her cheek, neck, shoulder, as his right hand skirted down the curve of her hip to her thigh, pulling it further away from the other before gripping her hip again as he pistoned deeper into her.

 

As his hips began to falter, she tossed her head back against his shoulder and reached back blindly, grazing her fingers up the back of his thigh to grope his ass, pressing him further into her as her walls fluttered around him. He growled Romanian curses into the crook of her neck as he snapped his hips harder, harder, and then stilled within her as his arms enveloped her body, her walls milking him dry as she was sent into her own orgasm, vision going hot-white.

 

They stayed suspended there as they held onto each other, both breathing heavily. After heaving a deep, sated sigh, he placed a lingering kiss to her neck before laying her across the couch and wiping her sweaty hair from her face. He chuckled at her goofy satisfied grin before heading to the kitchen. He reappeared with two water bottles, still naked as the day he was born, wearing that sexy shiteating grin. "Netflix, doll?"

 

***************************************

 

The next afternoon was spent as a girls' day, Laryn having gone shopping with Scarlett and Lizzie as Seb had suggested, while he worked. She had found a beautiful sundress, white with red and pink floral print, perfect for the warm breezy weather that was forecasted during the luncheon the next day.

 

The girls also insisted on buying her a cute pair of sky-high white wedge heels for the occasion, much to her constant arguing. "These are too much," she insisted, "I have a cute pair of flats I can wear." But, then again, Seb did love heels on her.

 

They had finished their shopping and decided to grab a bite at this cute little 50s-style diner nearby. They chatted about everything or nothing at all as they sipped their water and snacked on their meals.

 

"You'll get to meet more of the crew, directors, producers," Scarlett mused before popping a fry into her mouth. "And of course there's gonna be food."

 

"I don't know why, but I'm actually kind of nervous," Laryn admitted sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders lightly. The girls eyed her quizzically, waiting for her to continue. "I mean, I guess because I've always been a diehard MCU fan," she said. "Like, when I moved to New York, I never even dreamed I'd get to be a part of all this. And now I'm having Sebastian Stan's baby, making amazing new friends," she gestured to the women sitting with her, smiling when they smiled warmly at her comment.

 

"It can be a lot to take in," Scarlett said. "But I think you're perfect for him. He loves you so much."

 

"Seriously, he never stops talking about you," Lizzie said with a chuckle, making Laryn's cheeks turn pink.

 

There was a short moment of comfortable silence between the girls before Lizzie spoke up again. "So have you guys thought of any names?"

 

Laryn shook her head. "I'm thinking a flower name. Something beautiful... Or something that can be turned into a cute nickname. We just haven't talked much about names yet."

 

"There's still plenty of time," Scarlett pointed out.

 

The small talk continued until their waitress brought the checks, and they walked Laryn to her car. "We should do this more, being around all those sweaty men all the time gets old after a while," Lizzie chimed with a laugh, drawing giggles from the other two girls. They hugged and parted ways as Laryn started up the car and pulled out her phone to find a new text from Seb.

 

_S: Did my beautiful bride find a beautiful dress?_

 

She smiled as she typed out her response and went to pull out of the parking lot. Her favorite song began playing on the radio and she became so excited that she cranked up the volume to near-deafening. She looked both ways, first up the hill that she couldn't auite see over, then right, then left toward the hill again before making her way across the busy thoroughfare, the radio clamoring as she danced in her seat.

 

She did not, however, hear the sound of burning rubber as the car that came flying over that hill tried and failed to stop. She did not hear the sounds of glass and metal crunching as the car slammed into her side. She did not hear the snapping of bones, or her head smashing against the window before her car was sent sliding across the pavement. She didn't hear her friends screaming for her as they ran to her aid, or the hysterical wailing of the other driver. And she couldn't hear the faint beating of her pulse as it grew slower and slower.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good news comes of Laryn's accident and things start to look up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg omg omg omg I'M SO SORRY Y'ALL :'( life has really just gotten so crazy and I've been dealing with a lot of personal shit but I haven't forgotten about my stories! I'm back with a new chapter and it brings last chapter's cliffhanger to a close, I promise.

Sebastian burst through the double doors leading to the ER with Chris following closely behind, nearly hysterical as he approached the front desk. He had left the set as soon as Scarlett called him with the horrifying news of Laryn's accident. He stopped at the desk and tried to catch his breath and calm his nerves as Chris asked about Laryn's condition on his behalf.

"Are you a relative?" the petite brunette asked.

"I'm--no, he's her fiancé and the father of her baby," Chris stammered, wagging his thumb in Seb's direction.

"How are they? What happened?" Seb managed to choke out, his chest heaving as he attempted to maintain his resolve.

"We won't know anything until she's out of surgery," the girl said apologetically, her thin brows furrowed.

Seb whipped around and headed for the waiting area as he carded both hands through his hair, pulling at the roots. He found Scarlett and Lizzie huddled together on a couch on the far wall, both in tears as the two men approached them.

"What the fuck happened?" he ground out as calmly as he could, planting himself in a chair across from the two girls while Chris took the chair to his right.

"W-we were having lunch after shopping," Scarlett began, swiping angrily at her moistened cheeks, "she went to leave, and then we heard this horrible crash... It was like metal being torn in half."

"The woman that hit her was texting," Lizzie spat, glancing in the direction of the officers who were still speaking with the hysterical woman who t-boned Laryn.

Seb followed her line of vision and clenched his fists as he attempted to maintain some form of resolve.

"I imagine we'll be here a while," Scarlett noted. 

"I shouldn't have even let her leave the apartment," Seb droned as his head fell into his hands.

"This is not your fault," Scarlett said sternly. "Don't do that to yourself."

Seb simply shook his head and pressed at his temples as Chris silently consoled him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder in between filling out varioud paperwork for him.

Several hours passed and soon it was nearing 9pm when an exhausted looking doctor stepped into the waiting area. "Mister Stan?"

Seb's head shot up, eyes bloodshot and hair a mess. He stood and made a beeline for the doctor. "How are they?"

The doctor pursed his lips. "The wreck did a number on her; shattered her left femur, broke a few ribs, cracked her skull. I noticed her skull has been fractured before...?"

Seb nodded. "She was attacked by an ex," he said.

The doctor nodded. "Well all of her vital organs were spared, and--"

"The baby?" Seb asked frantically, large gray eyes pleading.

The doctor raised a hand to settle him. "Miraculously enough, the baby is fine. And Miss Jones will obviously be on bedrest for the rest of her pregnancy, but after some physical therapy she should make a full recovery."

Seb nearly collapsed to the floor if Chris hadn't rushed to catch him. Scarlett and Lizzie jumped from their chairs as well and hurried over. "Can I see her?" Seb asked, his voice cracking with emotion as his eyes welled up.

"She's resting at the moment, but you may visit her," the doctor replied. "Just be aware that she'll be loopy if she wakes up."

Seb nodded and thanked the man before getting her room number and powerwalking down the empty hallway to her room, leaving the others behind; "We'll wait out here," Chris advised him.

He reached her room and slowly swung the heavy door open, holding his breath as he entered. The room was dimly lit, and the constant beeping and whirring of the medical equipment ground on his nerves. Laryn lay slightly propped up, her left leg suspended in slings with large pins holding it together. Her eyes were closed and she looked peaceful, despite the dark rings below her eyes. Her head was wrapped tightly and Seb could see where she smashed it against the window. Her beautiful porcelain skin was covered in cuts and bruises.

His chest ached and he reached up to cover his mouth with his hand as he concealed a light sob. How could this have happened? What did she do to deserve this? He stepped over to the chair and dragged it to the side of the hospital bed, collapsing into it and exhaling harshly. He leaned forward and took her hand, cradling it in his as he watched the soft rise and fall of her chest. _It could have been so much worse,_ he thought to himself before shaking his head violently to expell the horrible image of what could have been. 

He gasped when her eyelids fluttered, her eyes darting back and forth beneath them as she slept. He inched closer, resting his elbows on the mattress. "I'm so sorry," he breathed, voice quivering as he brushed over her knuckles repeatedly with his thumb and reached to cup her face with his other hand. He knew she couldn't respond, but something told him she knew he was there. Sighing heavily, he sat back in the uncomfortable chair and decided to wait, however long that may take.

************************************

The first thing she became aware of was the sound of medical machinery and the godawful noises they made around her. It started out as nothing more than an echo seemingly through a narrow tunnel, slowly growing louder. 

The next thing that came into focus was that she was in massive amounts of pain and that she couldn't move her leg. 

She managed to pry her eyelids apart and tried to focus the blur of white, exhaling rapidly to expell the disgusting smell of disinfectant from her nose. She reached up and touched her face; her glasses were missing, but there was a lovely gauze wrap adorning her head. 

She looked to her right and could just make out Sebastian, slumped over asleep. She closed her eyes as the events of the last 12 or so hours dawned on her, fat tears slipping down her scraped and bruised cheeks. "S-Seb... _Sebby_ ," she croaked through chapped lips.

His head shot up and he nearly fell from the chair as he scrambled to sit on the bedside, clutching her hand as she sobbed. "It's okay baby, you're okay," he cooed, bending down to kiss her forehead.

"Is she okay?" Laryn sobbed, grabbing handfuls of his shirt and tugging herself up, needing to be as close to him as possible.

"She's okay, the doctors fixed you both up," he reassured her, carefully rubbing circles into her back and placing his other hand tentatively over her belly. She sobbed harder into his chest as he shushed her.

Several minutes passed before Laryn calmed down enough to breathe normally and a couple nurses poked in to check her vitals, giving her another dose of feel-good drugs before leaving. Seb took this opportunity to go fetch Chris, Scarlett and Lizzie, who all had stayed as they said they would. One by one they filed in and hugged and kissed her, wishing her a speedy recovery before leaving her alone with Sebastian again.

He stood and observed his surroundings, grimacing at the medical equipment, when he felt Laryn clutch at his hand. "Don't leave me," she mumbled through the haze of new painkillers, emerald eyes wide and full of fear.

Seb smiled. "Sweetheart, an act of God couldn't keep me away from you." He settled back onto the edge of the hospital bed just as Laryn made every feeble attempt to scoot over and make room for him despite how sore her body was. He gave her a watery grin when she released his hand and patted the bed next to her. 

"Lay with me," her small request tugged so hard at his heartstrings that he couldn't possibly tell her no. He nodded and kicked his shoes off before climbing up to lay next to her. There was just enough room for him to lay on his side and curl an arm around her belly.

"You scared me, _iubi_ ," he whispered as she turned her face toward him. 

"I'm sorry," she muttered back, placing her hand over his and squeezing gently.

He shook his head. "Don't. This isn't your fault."

Laryn sighed sleepily and settled further into the fluffy pillow beneath her head. "I'm just glad the baby is okay..."

"You're both okay," Seb stated, although it may have been more reassurance for himself. He reached up to brush his fingertips down her cheek, careful of any scrapes. "Try to sleep, baby. I'll be right here."

She nodded in reply as her eyes fluttered shut. Naturally, it didn't take her long to fall asleep due to the heavy duty painkillers coursing through her veins; Sebastian, however, had a much harder time drifting off, and when he did, his dreams were plagued by visions of the woman he loved lying lifeless on a morgue table with their underdeveloped child lying next to her.

When morning light began to peek through the window blinds, Seb stirred from sleep, surprised to find Laryn not only awake and alert, but sitting up. She smiled down at him and brushed the hair away from his forehead. "You slept harder than me, babe," she chirped before shoveling a huge spoonful of orange jello past her lips.

Seb could only blink in surprise before carefully wrapping his arms around her and planting a long kiss to her less-injured cheek. "How are you feeling?" he asked, placing his thumb and index finger around her chin and turning her face, taking in her now darker bruises.

She shrugged noncommitally. "I've been better. I have a high pain tolerance though, not that I've had worse, but I can take it better than some people."

He smiled before leaning in and placing a careful kiss to her lips before a light knock on the door grabbed their attention. They turned to find an expectedly well-dressed Robert and an enormous floral arrangement.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, taking the vase to the windowsill before stepping to the other side of the bed, frowning at the rods and pins in her poor leg as it dangled in the hospital sling. "How you doin', kid?"

"I'll be a lot better once they let me eat some real food," Laryn answered with a chuckle, promptly followed by her groaning and clutching at her ribs.

Robert laughed and shook his head. "You're giving me a run for my money, kid. I oughta start calling you Iron Girl."

Laryn blushed and shook her head as she stifled a giggle while Seb rolled his eyes dramatically.

Robert stayed to chat for a few minutes before heading out to do some clandestine Infinity War meeting, leaving Sebastian and Laryn alone once more. 

"I called your mom last night," Seb announced suddenly, shifting in his chair. "I'm flying her out to take care of you once the hospital lets you leave." Laryn groaned, sinking further into her cushy pillows while Seb chuckled. "What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes shining with amusement.

She waved it off. "I appreciate it, I really do. She can just be..."

"A typical overbearing mom?" he raised an eyebrow at her, a knowing grin forming across his face.

"That and she works... She has to," she sighed.

"Well she wants to be here. She loves you, you know that," he reminded her, as if she needed it.

She nodded and settled further into her pillows, blinking up at the ceiling several times as she tried to focus her eyesight.

"I'll bring your spare glasses when I go back to the apartment later," Seb promised as he placed a firm hand on her uninjured thigh, squeezing it lightly.

Laryn nodded while she pressed her fingers to her temples. "Not having them gives me a headache... Can we just say 'Thanks but no thanks' and leave now?" she whined.

Seb chuckled and stood from his chair to stoop over her and kiss her lips. "I don't think so, sweetheart."

"Well it was worth a shot," she sighed as she reached for her cup of ice water. She took a couple sips as she observed Sebastian thoughtfully before saying softly, "You can go home if you want babe. It won't hurt my feelings, I know hospitals are depressing and boring."

He shook his head aggressively. "Nope. I'm not leaving you here." He cocked that sweet, sexy lopsided smile as he cupped the back of her neck, grazing the pad of his thumb up and down her hairline.

"What would I do without you?" she croaked, eyes watering as she leaned into his touch. They gazed lovingly at each other for qhat seemed like an eternity until her doctor made another appearance.

"Good morning," he beamed as he rushed over to check her vitals and assess her fluid and medicine intake. "You're recovering quicker than I'd expected! You might get to go home a day or two early."

The couple grinned like mad, Laryn suddenly feeling giddy at the thought of sleeping in a real bed or sacking out on the couch in front of the tv. As the doctor left the room, she became lost in thought, trying to contemplate on how much in bills she'd racked up for Seb and the headache she may have caused by not being careful. Brow furrowing, she looked down at her lap and frowned at herself.

"Penny for your thoughts, doll?" Seb cooed as he sat on the edge of the bed, hand placed firmly on her uninjured leg.

She startled from her reverie and sighed. "I feel horrible... A totaled car, hospital bills--"

"Don't even think about it," he said sternly, causing her to snap her lips shut. "Don't do that to yourself. You and our baby are alive and okay, and that's what matters to me. I love you, and I don't know what I would have done if it had been worse."

Her eyes fell to her lap again as she nodded. Though she would do her best to hide it, it would still hang over her head like a persistent storm cloud. 

The rest of the day went as expected for a day at the hospital; she sat through more visits, including Georgeta, Chris Evans and Hemsworth, Scarlett and Lizzie. She even received a well-wishing phone call from Don via Seb's phone. 

As they lay together flipping through tv channels, she rested her head on his shoulder and smiled. "For being a hospital patient with pins in her leg, I actually had a decent day," she mused.

Seb leaned his head atop hers and carefully wound his arm around her body, doing his best not to hurt her broken ribs in the process. "I'll feel a lot better once you're home," he stated, feeling her faint nod in agreement.

Once he felt her breathing slow as she quickly nodded off, he placed a lingering kiss to her temple and slowly eased himself off the bed and into the chair, giving her room to sleep.

************************************

The next three days crawled by at a snail's pace until the doctor paid his last visit to Laryn's room, giving her the news that she would be going home the next morning. Ecstatic at this information, she squealed and bounced up and down in her bed until the familiar sharp pain in her ribs told her to stop. Seb's excited features morphed into concern as he tentatively placed his hand over hers that flew up from her lap to clutch at her ribcage.

The doctor held back a chuckle as he adjusted her paid med IV and began going over release procedures with Sebastian. This went on for a few minutes until one of the nurses brought in a tray of breakfast food and Laryn's stomach began making obnoxiously loud noises.

"I'll leave you both to it then," the doctor stated, nodding at the pair before leaving.

Seb settled back in his all too familiar hospital chair and watched with a soft gleam in his gray eyes as his fiancé crunched down on an exceptionally crispy piece of bacon, moaning softly as her eyes rolled back. She peeked one eye open in his direction and laughed softly. "Please help yourself," she offered, waving her bacon at the wide array of food before them. "There's no way I can eat all this by myself."

He smiled and reached for the eggs, mumbling a "don't judge me" when Laryn wrinkled her nose at him. He always went for the eggs first and he knew that she knew it. "I can't wait to get you back to the apartment," he sighed through a mouthful of scrambled eggs, gazing up at her almost longingly, as if he hadn't seen her in years. "I know you hate it here, I do, too."

"Yeah," she replied as she scooped a pat of strawberry jam from its rectangular container with a knife and spread it over a steaming biscuit. Her face fell and her eyes filled with tears. "I'd be a lot more ecstatic if I wasn't falling apart."

"Uh-uh, none of that," Seb ordered sternly as he reached up to swipe at the tear that cascaded down her warm cheek. "You'll be good as new in no time, _dragă_."

"Okay, Doctor Seb," she jested, smiling fondly.

"There's an idea," he purred, the icy gray of his eyes suddenly taking on a darker hue as he stood and slid to the side of the bed, leaning down and capturing her lips with his. She sighed in to the kiss and sucked his bottom lip as her hands dropped her food and reached up to wring into the front of his t-shirt.

She giggled lightly when he reluctantly pulled away. "You like role-playing?" she asked, quirking her eyebrow as her eyes shimmered with mirth.

"Never have, but I'm down for it if you are," he huffed against her lips before he reattached his own, opening her up to him passionately and drawing a moan from deep within her chest.

After losing her breath a second time, she tore away from him and groaned almost too loudly. "If you don't stop being so god damn sexy, I'm gonna fuck my leg up even more trying to have my way with you right here in the hospital," she breathed while administering every ounce of self-control she had in her not to chase after his lips again.

He chewed his lip in thought while he regarded her before nodding and giving her one more quick peck, reclaiming his seat in his chair once more. "I'm sorry babygirl," he said, "but as soon as those pins get removed--" he shook a fork at her and raised his eyebrows.

"Trust me, sugar, it'll take more than a damn cast to keep me from riding you until it hurts," she replied, her voice dripping honey and sex despite their dreary surroundings. "But remember, by the time the cast comes off, the baby may be here," she gently grazed her hand over her round belly.

"And we'll simply take life as it comes, my darling," he reassured her. "Shouldn't we think of a name for our princess?"

_Riiight, baby names._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking requests for baby names ;) if you have some cute little girl names, leave them in the comments!


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laryn gets her leg pins and rods removed and Seb has a special relaxation day planned out for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyya guys! *waves aggressively* so the holidays were craaaazyyyyy but fun :D I wrote up most of this chspter today actually, enjoy! <3

The next couple weeks inched by at a snail's pace, leaving poor Laryn glued to the couch until the pins could be removed from her leg. Sebastian couldn't contain his anxiety and apprehension to leave her alone for the first few days since her mother couldn't make it out immediately, and he found it even harder to concentrate on filming when he did leave the apartment.

 

 

One lazy Sunday afternoon, the day before those awful pins and bars were to be removed, Laryn's cabin fever begin to take a toll on her sanity. "Can we please go somewhere?" she begged Sebastian from her spot on the couch, drawing out the 'e' in 'please' to accentuate her annoyance at being stuck at home.

 

Sebastian poked his head out of the kitchen and frowned at her. "You know the drill, sweetheart, no leaving the house until you're metal-free." He flashed her his big-eyed "I'm sorry" look before taking his attention back to the chili he was currently working on. 

 

He hated that she was so miserable. Granted, given her pregnancy, she already had limited mobility, but having to watch a woman so full of life do absolutely nothing while he had the freedom to go to work, or wherever he pleased, really yanked at his heartstrings.

 

He grimaced at her audible disappointed groan and almost thought he heard the smallest of whimpers, which usually indicated that tears were to follow. He dropped the half-diced chili peppers and rinsed his hands before hurrying to the couch to console his future wife, softly swiping at a tear that ventured rapidly down her cheek. 

 

"I'm so sorry, _iubi_ ," he cooed as he planted himself at her side and pulled her into his arms, carefully so as to not disturb her injured leg, tucking her head below his chin. "I wish I could take you anywhere if it meant getting your mind off all of this, but--"

 

She cut him off by turning up to kiss him, firmly but not aggressively as her right hand snaked up to cup his cheek, sighing when his fingers began to dig further into her flesh. "I know," she murmured against his lips, "honestly it's the unbearable itching that bothers me the most," she giggled as she pried herself from his grasp to claw at the skin surrounding where the bars were pinned into her leg.

 

Seb chuckled and leaned forward to trail soft kisses up the curve between her shoulder and neck, exposed by the thin spaghetti strap she wore, smiling at her skin's goosebumpy response to his beard. "You wanna watch something while I finish this chili?" He picked up the tv remote and turned on Netflix.

 

"I'd rather watch you," Laryn replied, her voice suddenly almost seductively low as her fingertips skated up the inside of his jean-clad thigh. 

 

He growled low in his throat before grasping her hand softly, stilling it. "I know you're frustrated, baby," he purred, eyelids sliding shut as he tried to push all of the delicious thoughts from his mind that her previous declaration had planted there. "Just one more day, and you'll be rid of these pins and have some mobility back," he placed her hand in her lap and stood, bending low to place his lips right against the shell of her ear, "but I promise you, babygirl, you'll get some much needed stress relief," he planted a firm kiss to her jaw before strutting back to the kitchen to tend to the half-prepared chili while Laryn huffed indignantly from her spot on the couch.

 

"Did your mom happen to mention when she'd be here?" Seb called from the kitchen as he dumped the chopped peppers and tomatoes into the crock pot.

 

"She called earlier and said her flight leaves at about 2pm on Tuesday," Laryn droned while scrolling through Netflix, finally settling on some Shameless reruns, curling into her couch corner and welcoming a sleepy Leeloo with open arms.

 

"Actually," she heard Sebastian mumble thoughtfully as he padded back into the living room and sat on the other side of Leeloo, "I had an idea for tomorrow... When we leave the hospital..."

 

Laryn tilted her head to side-eye him. "Oh yeah?"

 

"Yeah. How about a spa day?" 

 

She beamed in response. "That sounds amazing," she leaned over Leeloo's large behind and wringed a hand into the front of his shirt, tugging him to her to kiss him. He hummed in delight before settling in to the other corner of the couch, keeping a close eye on his bride-to-be as she became engrossed in her show.

 

**********************************

 

As Seb pulled the rental car up to the hospital doors the next morning, a nurse appeared with a wheelchair to assist Laryn inside; the day had finally arrived to have her leg pins removed and she couldn't be more ecstatic. She chirped an almost too excited hello with a shaky voice has her body trembled with excitement.

 

"Calm down, doll," Seb chuckled as he hopped out to jog around the front end to help her out of the car and into the wheelchair.

 

"I'm not sure I can," Laryn giggled, giving him her hand and allowing him and the nurse to carefully extract her from the car.

 

"I'm gonna go park and I'll be right back," he bent down to give her a chaste kiss before driving into the sea of other cars.

 

Within minutes, he was jogging through the automatic doors and settling into a chair next to her, folding her hand between his and massaging her knuckles soothingly until they were called back to an exam room.

 

Several moments later, the friendly doctor who oversaw her care previously appeared and began to go over the details of the pin extraction: anesthetics would have to be administered as some incisions would need to be slightly longer than previous incisions, and then a cast would be put on, but the entire procedure would only take about 2 hours and she would be released that afternoon.

 

"Please keep in mind that you may be a bit loopy for a couple hours afterward, so I'll need you--" he turned his attention to Sebastian, "-- to be very attentive and understanding of any possible mood swings or confusion."

 

"I think I can do that," Seb replied, smiling warmly at Laryn as he softly cupped the back of her neck, grazing the pad of his thumb along the column of her throat.

 

With that said, they wheeled Laryn back to attend to her leg while Seb waited patiently in the waiting room. 

 

What seemed like just a few moments later, he was jolted awake ( _When did I fall asleep?_ ) by a sweet elderly nurse stating that Laryn was ready to be discharged. Grinning and muttering a quiet 'thank you' to the woman, he was led back to her room to find her smiling goofily at nothing. This should be fun.

 

"Hey baby, you ready to go home?" he asked softly as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

 

"Yesssss I am, I'm so hungry," she slurred back with the same dopey grin on her face.

 

"Okay, we'll get you some food," he chuckled as he helped her slowly climb down from the bed and into a wheelchair. The doctor then appeared with a cleaning/aftercare packet and a pair of crutches. He spent the entire walk/roll out to the car going over aftercare to Seb and explaining that the crutches had already been fitted to her height, and that she was most certainly allowed to eat ("Need foooood, can I pleaseee eat?")

 

Sebastian drove her to the nearest Dairy Queen to ger her favorite, rhe steak finger basket with an extra gravy, and then back to the apartment, where he carefully deposited her on the couch to let her kick off her one flip flop and eat. "I'm gonna go clean up in the bedroom a little, okay?" He assured her softly, to which she gazed up at him with droopy eyes and nodded as she shoved nearly an entire steak finger into her mouth at once. He smiled and shook his head as he ducked out, leaving her only partially wondering what he was up to.

 

About an hour later, he reappeared to find her a little more alert. "Hey babe," she chirped from the couch.

 

"Hey yourself," Seb replied, planting himself next to her and pulling her in for a firm kiss. "Feeling better?" 

 

"Yeah," she nodded. "I don't feel as doped up anymore."

 

"Good," he glanced down at the Dairy Queen box to find she had eaten every bite of her food. "You wanna take a bath?"

 

"That sounds amazing," she sighed, leaning her head onto his shoulder.

 

"Well come on then," he reached over the arm of the couch and grabbed a crutch, swining it around before standing up and helping her onto her good foot. She took the crutch and tucked it under her other arm and hobbled into their bedroom, but she hadn't been expecting the sight before her.

 

What must have been a hundred candles flickered on every hard surface of the room, and red rose petals were scattered on the carpet around the bed. She gasped, her free hand shooting up to cover her mouth.

 

"I told you I'd give you a spa day, didn't I?" Seb purred against her ear before placing barely -there kisses to the side of her neck.

 

She whimpered in return, doing everything in her power to clench her thighs together and dull the roaring arousal between her legs.

 

"Come on," he urged as he maneuvered her toward the bathroom, which had about the same appearance as the bedroom, minus the bathtub and bed. The light was off, however the soft glow of candlelight danced along the walls and the soothing aroma of lilac and peppermint filled her nostrils, nearly making her dizzy with desire.

 

"Seb," she breathed, turning her body toward him and grazing her palms up his chest.

 

"Don't worry sweetheart, I'll take good care of you," he reassured her, large hands cupping her face as he kissed her deeply. She moaned loudly into his open mouth as he invaded it, tongue lathing along hers and across the roof of her mouth, as if her soul was his to devour.

 

As they kissed, her fingers wandered down his chest, over his abs and right to his belt buckle, going to work to fumble it open when he stopped her. "Now now, _printesa_ , this day is all for you."

 

"B-but--" she stammered, eyes wide in disappointment.

 

"Trust me," he placed a tender kiss to the tip of her nose. "Let's get you out of those clothes, shall we?"

 

She nodded as he helped her to sit on the toilet lid, her shaky hands went to the hem of her t-shirt and feebly pulled it over her head. He stepped in front of her and reached around to unclasp her bra, his fingers ever-so-softly gliding across her skin as he pulled it off of her. He gave her his hand and stood her up, then kneeled before her to help her out of her shorts and panties, smirking to himself when he saw how aroused she was. "Oh sweetheart," he groaned, leaning forward to breathe in her scent.

 

"Sebby," she gasped, flushing crimson from hairline to breasts as his tongue appeared and swiped deftly between he dripping folds. She cried out and nearly fell over, had he not been there to hold her hips in place. 

 

He grinned like the cat that got the cream and stood up. "Give me one second," he stood to shed his own clothes and stepped into the tub, making himself comfortable before offering her his hand again. She placed her good foot into the water and he braced her as she sank down into the water, leaving her casted foot dangling over the side of the tub to keep it dry.

 

"This feels fantastic," she sighed, leaning back into his chest as he cupped his hands, picking up handfuls of steaming scented water and running it down her arms, shoulders, chest, protruding baby bump. 

 

"If anyone deserves some relaxation, it's you, _iubi_ ," he cooed into her ear.

 

She smiled when she felt his erection twitch against her lower back. "And how about some release?"

 

He hummed against her shoulder, sending his hand snaking around her side and under her belly to where she needed him the most. "Just relax, baby," he said. Lucky for him, her core was much more easily accessible with her injured leg hooked over the side of the tub, so it wasn't difficult for him to find her already swollen bundle of nerves and draw circles around it. She keened and arched her back as he went to work. One hand grabbed at the side of the tub while the other shot out of the water and curled around the back of this neck as he lowered his lips to her shoulder and pressed his fingers firmly against her. 

 

She whimpered and sighed as he slowly worked her over, and he quickly grew harder and harder at every little sound she made. 

 

"You like that, doll?" he asked as he pushed two fingers into her while his thumb continued assaulting her outer g-spot while his other hand slinked around her ribcage and found her breast, pinching and pulling at her nipple. She nodded wildly as her fingers slid up into his hair, grasping it tightly and tugging. He growled and bit into the flesh and muscle tissue of her shoulder as his fingeres curled up and grazed her g-spot, sending her flying over the edge. Her head flew back and her mouth hung open in a silent scream as her body convulsed in his hands. His fingers worked her through her orgasm and brought her floating back down to earth, soft lips caressing her flesh.

 

"You still with me?" he questioned, that shiteating grin of his never leaving his face.

 

"T-that was..." she stuttered, eyelids fluttering from every ounce of energy having been drained from her body, but God was it amazing.

 

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You ready to get out?" 

 

She lifted her fingers from the water and noted their pruniness. "If getting out means I get to return that wonderful favor, then yes."

 

"I'm not done with you yet, darling." She could swear his voice was honey dripping slowly into her ear canal as she sat up to let him step out.

 

He wrapped a towel around his hips and helped her out, patting her down with another towel before draping it around her form.

 

"So when exactly did you plan all of this?" She wondered aloud as he walked her to the bed.

 

"As soon as I brought up the idea of a spa day," he answered her. "Why let some stranger touch your body when I can just do it myself and let us both benefit from it?"

 

She laughed and he smirked. "You know what, you're right," she declared as she sat on the edge of the bed and tugged on his towel, pulling him to her before letting the towel fall. She made to wrap her hand around his obvious erection, but he lightly slapped her hand away. 

 

"Uh uh, I said I wasn't done with you," he grinned. "Let's get you on the bed and laying down." He took her towel from her and helped her up the mattress.

 

She lay there, naked aside from the cast, as he climbed up after her and kneeled between her legs, and he couldn't help but stare. "So beautiful," he murmured, grazing his fingers up her legs and over her belly. "Would you hand me that, doll?" He pointed to the purple bottle on the nightstand.

 

She did as he asked and he took it, squeezing a thick paste out into his palm. Body lotion. He began to slowly massage her feet, concentrating on her arches as he knew she had some pretty intense foot pain. He worked his way up at a snail's pace, wanting to be sure she got the maximum amount of pleasure and relaxation out of it. Obviously he had to skip over most of her left leg due to that infernal cast, but eventually made it to her hips. He rubbed circles with his thumbs into her pelvis just above her mound, when he bore down a little harder than he intended, and she gasped and moaned, arching up into his hands. He raised an eyebrow at her when she looked at him and blushed furiously.

 

"You um... You hit my ovaries," she whispered, and he laughed.

 

"I had no idea those could be pleasure points," he said, and he kept going. He squeezed out a little more lotion for her belly as he moved up the mattress a little, settling his pelvis against hers so that his member fit right into her slit, causing them both to moan.

 

He flattened his palms over her belly and massaged the lotion into her skin, but she was over it. She needed something else.

 

"Seb, baby please," she panted, trying to press her hips into his but she was still weak.

 

Hw gazed down at her and was struck by her raw beauty, the way her skin glistened, how her eyes were so dark and heavy, but his brow furrowed. "I don't want to hurt you," he admitted, caressing her mound with his thumbs.

 

"You won't," she assured him. "You won't hurt me, _please_ just fuck me!"

 

He groaned, not having expected to hear those words leave her lips. He first made sure her leg was comfortable befote lifting her good leg over his hip and lining himself up with her entrance. "Are you sure?" He asked once more.

 

She nodded furiously, and that was all he needed. He surged forward, pressing into her slowly. She let out a sound that was part moan, part sob as she lifted her hips to meet his. They sighed in unison when he was fully sheathed within her, but she needed more. Becoming impatient with him holding back, she bucked her hips almost violently, almodt startling him as he moaned and pulled back, only to snap his hips and slam back into her. She cried out and tangled her fingers into the sheets around her. 

 

She could have cried when he set a steady and punishing pace, and her leg didn't cause her any discomfort at all. She squirmed beneath him and was much more vocal this time around, but then again with the baby and the accident she felt a little deprived, and therefore was much more in the mood than usual. This came as a surprise to Sebastian, who found it unbelievably sexy. 

 

He drilled into her over and over and over again, moaning every time she clenched around him, and all she could do was watch his Adam's Apple bob up and down as he tried to swallow, but his throat had run dry as he watched the woman he loved writhe and moan beneath him. 

 

As she began to convulse and her moans and cries grew louder, and soon enough she could no longer keep herself from digging her nails into his biceps, leaving angry little red crescent shapes. He reached down with his thumb and attacked her bundle of nerves, and delighted in watching her go cascading over the edge and into the abyss of pleasure, taking him with her. He grunted as his body stilled, emptying himself before collapsing onto the bed, thankfully her right side with her uninjured leg.

 

The next several minutes were silent aside from the heaving breaths between them, until Seb flipped onto his side and wrapping himself around Laryn.

 

"I've never actually had a spa day," she broke the silence with a chuckle, "but if I do, it wouldn't even come close to that."

 

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

 

"Like I need a 100 hour nap," she giggled. 

 

"Do you need a pain pill?" 

 

"Yeah, it's starting to come back." 

 

He frowned, but he couldn't keep her from noticing. "It's not because of your spa day, don't worry," she turned her body to him as much as she could and kissed him before he went to get her a tylenol and some water.

 

Upon his return, she was almost asleep and he smiled. He bent down to kiss her, and she stirred. "Lay down with me baby," she mumbled, scooting over to make room for him even though she didn't need to. He gave her the pill and water and made sure she took it before climbing in behind her. 

 

He watched her drift off before allowing himself to do the same, his hand splayed out over her pregnant belly.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb and Laryn do some baby shopping... Among other things ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS I'M STILL HERE!!!! *waves frantically* sooo how is everyone enjoying Infinity War? Man it's been a LONG time coming with that one. Hubs and I are seeing it tomorrow morning :D I'M NOT READY!!!! But that aside, here's a long awaited new chapter! I apologize if it ends up short, I type my fics out in my gmail app and it doesn't count words for me so :/ enjoy!

Eight weeks seemed to zoom by as Ruth, Laryn's mother, bustled around the apartment taking care of her daughter and unborn grandchild. She even insisted on doing things when Sebastian was at home, despite his many protests. She chauffered Laryn to check-ups, did the grocery shopping and modt of the cooking, cleaned the apartment, did the dishes and the laundry. Seb marveled at the woman's persistence.

 

"That isn't necessary, Ruth, I'd be glad to--" he would begin when walking in on Ruth loading up the dishwasher or vacuuming, only to be immediately shot down.

 

"Nonsense, I'm a mother," Ruth insisted, smiling and putting up a hand to silence the man, "it's what I do."

 

"You may as well give up babe, she's stubborn as a mule," Laryn drawled from her spot on the couch as she leaned to the side and shoved a butter knife inside her cast to scratch a relentless itch.

 

"I'm beginning to see that," Seb replied with a chuckle, accepting defeat as he flopped down onto the couch next to Laryn. He frowned at her, still trying to stifle that unbearable itch. "Only four more weeks and that damn thing comes off, _iubi_ ," he leaned to kiss her hairline.

 

"You say that like it's only a few days," she grumbled in response, giving up and tossing the knife onto the coffee table with a loud clatter. She sighed and went to reach for her mug of decaffeinated tea, struggling as her belly had grown significantly, until Seb picked it up and handed it to her.

 

"Wanna do some shopping?" He asked cheerfully in the hopes that she would be motivated enough to hobble around on her crutches just long enough to buy some baby things. "We do still need a crib, a high chair, maybe one of those bouncy things..."

 

"Oh my God, can we?!" He beamed at her and nodded, not expecting such an enthusiastic reaction in her depressive state.

 

"Could I get you to pick up a gallon of 2% milk while y'all are out?" Ruth called as she emerged from the kitchen to rummage through her purse, most likely for a few bucks in cash to give them.

 

"I'd be happy to, Ruth, and don't even think of giving me money for it," Seb insisted, wagging an index finger at the woman who simply smiled and rolled her eyes.

 

"You two be careful and have fun," she chirped, going back to working in the kitchen.

 

Sebastian set Laryn's one flip flop in front of her for her to slide on and assisted her in getting to and in the car. "I'm so glad your mother is here to help out with you and your leg situation, but she's kind of..."

 

"Overbearing? Only tolerable for a few minutes at a time? A neat freak? OCD?" Laryn deadpanned.

 

"Well I was gonna say _thorough_ ," Seb laughed, turning on the car and driving them out onto the main road to the nearest baby store.

 

"Don't get me wrong, I love my mom. I mean, she's my mom. But she can be kind of ridiculous sometimes..." She trailed off to stare out the window.

 

Sebastian took a second to glance at his future wife, usually so bubbly and bright, having been reduced to this sad woman with seemingly no hope within her, now a manic depressive bundle of anxiety as a result of what could have been a _much_ more tragic accident. It tore his heartstrings to see her like this. He fell in love with her smile and the way her emerald green eyes light up, the way her body moved when she walked. But now...

 

Shaking his head and returning his eyes to the road, he reached over and grazed his fingertips ever so gently across her bare thigh to where her hands were clasped in her lap, separating them to link his fingers with hers and bringing her knuckles to his soft lips.

 

Not twenty minutes later they perused hand-in-hand around Baby Braithwaite, Laryn staring wide eyed and gaping at some of the outrageous price tags, not going unnoticed by Sebastian.

 

"Pick whatever you want, babygirl," he assured her, squeezing her hand and placing the other on her belly. "Money is not an issue."

 

She nodded hesitantly as they continued to navigate the cribs and bassinets, her eyes still wide as saucers in disbelief that there are actually people out there who would spend that much on a bassinet.

 

She then screeched to a halt as they rounded a corner and stopped in front of the most charming crib she'd ever laid eyes on. Painted completely white, the bars contained colorful toggle beads of various fun shapes, presumably for the baby to play with, while the ends rose up in ornate arches with hearts cut out of them. She stared in awe as moisture gathered in her eyes.

 

"Is there anything I can help you find?" A tall robust blonde woman asked behind them.

 

Giving a knowing look to Laryn, Sebastian turned to the woman and said, "We'll take this crib."

 

The woman grinned widely and nodded, stating that she would begin a ticket for them after Sebastian quickly added that they weren't finished shopping yet.

 

Laryn whirled around (or rather she fumbled as she tried to turn and nearly lost her grip on her crutch) to beam at him with watery eyes. "Are you serious?" She asked shakily.

 

"Anything you want, sweetheart, I meant it." He curled his long fingers around her wide hips and pulled her impossibly close, his soft lips finding the tender flesh below her ear, taking her breath away and making her knees weak.

 

"You tryin' to get me all hot and bothered while we're out and about?" She teased, poking his abs, knowing that plane of flesh and muscle was particularly sensitive for him and that the muscle tissue would jump.

 

"Maybe," he pulled back and said lowly, his pupils growing noticeably as his grip on her hips tightened. "Maybe I've arranged for your mother to have a nice quiet night away," he began placing barely-there kisses along her jawline, up to her ear and brushing it with his lips ever so softly, "so we can be alone," he nipped at her earlobe before pulling away.

 

She was unable to stop her free hand from flying up and fisting into his shirt, their lips mere millimeters apart as their breaths mixed. All he could do was stare in awe at her dusky half-lidded gaze, his tongue making a quick appearance as it slid slowly along his pouty bottom lip. The second she inched forward with parted lips, just barely brushing his, another customer passed by them in her peripherals, making eyes at them.

 

Biting her lip, she smirked and pushed at his chest lightly, smoothing the wrinkles from his shirt. "I'll get you later, my pretty," she warned, touching her index finger to the dimple in his chin.

 

"I look forward to it," he waggled his eyebrows and smirking, drawing a slightly louder giggle from her than she would have in other circumstances. 

 

He cleared his throat and placed a hand tentatively at the small of her back as he steered her through the maze of cribs to where the store kept other furniture like rocking chairs and changing tables.

 

He helped her pick out a small lavender chest of drawers, a floor lamp, some wall-hanging shelves and a few adorable onesies that she couldn't resist, wanting to encourage her to pick out more until he saw her start to wince every time she took a step. 

 

Furrowing his brow, he assured her that they had plenty of time and would come back as he took their list of items to the woman who had previously helped them, paid, arranged for delivery and they went on their way.

 

After stopping to satisfy her taco craving (it was Tuesday, after all) they stopped at a local park to sit in the shade for a minute. It was actually nice out for being late August rather than the usual blistering heat, so a nice break on a park bench underneath a huge oak tree wasn't too unbearable for her.

 

He sat about a foot away from her and pulled her uninjured leg across his lap. "Is this leg bothering you?" He asked softly.

 

She frowned and nodded, rubbing her seemingly swollen knee. "Not sure what I did, but my knee has been hurting recently."

 

"You should have told me, we could have had the doctor look at it," the corners of his mouth turned down as he massaged it.

 

"It's not a bad pain. Kind of a dull ache, so I haven't been too worried about it." She turned her gaze out across the park to the small playground; children were playing and laughing together with their parents, and she smiled wistfully as she ran both her hands down over her belly. Seb understood; he felt the same way. The inner longing for children of his own. He had had this discussion with past girlfriends, but he was finally getting what he truly wanted, and he couldn't have asked for a better partner.

 

He sat for a minute longer, watching her watch the kids at the playground before lifting her leg from his lap and placing it on the around in front of her. "Let's get you home," he said as he stood, offering his hand.

 

The drive back to the apartment was quiet, but comfortably so. They stopped once more to pick up the milk that Ruth had requested and then continued home. His fingers were wrapped around hers, resting on his thigh as he took them home. He hadn't thought much about dinner, having just had tacos not too long ago, however he knew that his fiancé needed to eat for two, that the growing baby inside of her needed nutrients. He silently planned a simple but nutritious meal and pulled into the parking lot.

 

As he parked, he threw her a dazzling smile before hopping out and running around to help her out and into the apartment. Upon entering, they found that Ruth had alredy gone, finding her little note on the coffee table urging them to "have fun! ;)". He smiled to himself, making a mental note to get her some kind of thank you gift later.

 

He made sure Laryn was comfortable on the couch before heading to the kitchen, ignoring her protests and pleas to let her help him. He loved her, God knows he does, but she was definitely a "do-it-myself" kind of woman and he vowed to break her of that habit one way or another.

 

He made himself busy fixing up some fancy grilled sandwiches, just as she would make for him, along with some steamed squash and broccoli, while she found something to watch on Netflix. 

 

He would peek at her through the manufactured hole in the wall in between the living room and the kitchen, for no other reason than that he just couldn't take his eyes off her. His woman. His heart swelled with pride when she would catch him and smile, her rosy cheeks raising high to her dazzling eyes.

 

He finished cooking and walked two plates to the table, passing by the sleeping dog and cat on his way, setting them down and returning to the kitchen for water bottles. Laryn had scarfed down half the vegetables by the time he took his seat. "Hungry, baby?" He chuckled, picking up his sandwich.

 

She could only groan and nod her head in response, her cheeks puffed out as her mouth was full. They ate and while she was glued to the tv, he couldn't keep his hands off her. Slowing switching from simply resting his hand on her thigh, to throwing his left arm over her shoulders while his right hand grazed up and down her arm, to pushing her quickly growing hair to one side to reveal the flesh of her neck and shoulder, placing lazy kisses across the thousands of faint freckles and sunspots that she had gotten several years ago during some trip or another to the Texas coastline. He mapped them out carefully, occasionally poking his tongue out to trail between them.

 

She laughed and turned to him. "Not interested in tv?" She teased.

 

"Well," he began huskily, "I did have plans for you tonight, since your mother is currently out of our hair." 

 

Laryn opened her mouth to reply, probably with something witty and teasing, but he cut her off, quickly turning her face to seal his lips to hers. She sighed breathily, as if she'd been waiting for this move, and forced his lips apart.

 

As their tongues tangoed, she maneuvered herself backward and down against the cushions while simultaneously pulling him down on top of her while letting her casted leg dangle off the couch. He took extra precaution not to lay too much weight on her belly.

 

It had been weeks since they'd had a chance to be intimate as she was wary of them having sex with her mom being in the second bedroom, so libidos were raging. The second her fingers found the hem of his shirt and dipped beneath it, he groaned and rutted against her. He leaned back to allow her to remove her own shirt and her bra at lightning speed, tossing her head back with a heady moan when he latched onto one breast and toyed with the other with his fingers.

 

After only a she grew too needy and began trying to shove her shorts down, a difficult task with Sebastian currently glued to her breasts and continuously grinding down onto her. "Seb, baby," she keened and he chuckled as he separated from her nipple with a wet pop, now set on assisting her.

 

He sat back on his knees and tore his shirt off first before unbuttoning her jean shorts, sliding them down her legs along with her now soaked panties, careful of the leg cast. Tossing them aside, and unintentionally in the direction of the snoozing animals, oblivious to Bucky jumping up and darting out of the room, he spread her knees wide as he eyed her dripping core hungrily.

 

"Can't tell you how much I've needed this," he purred as he sank his knees to the carpet, allowing him much more ease of access as he slid his index and middle finger between her folds, gathering slick and raising them to his lips. He pushed them into his mouth and moaned, eyes rolling back as he savored her essence. Gazing at her through lidded eyes, he said, "I think you've needed it just as bad." 

 

And in he dove. She squealed as her body convulsed against the couch and his unrelenting mouth, quickly succumbing to waves of intense pleasure as he feverishly massaged her with his tongue. She cried out and slid her fingers into his hair, grinding against his face as he devoured her. It turned her on infinitely further knowing just how much he enjoyed this particular act, gushing onto his mouth and chin as she came violently and he lapped up every last drop.

 

Now feeling much the same as a limp spaghetti noodle, her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath while he stood to rid himself of his shorts and boxer briefs. He repositioned himself on the couch between her knees, hiking the uninjured one up over his hip. "I love you so much," he cooed, sliding himself through her folds.

 

"I love you t- _ohhhhhh fuck,_ " she groaned loudly as he drove into her. 

 

He started out slow, relishing in the intimacy and running his hands up and down her thighs as he watched her writhe. "God, I fucking missed this... So fucking _tight_ ," he ground out as he leaned forward, but not too far, not wanting to put too much pressure on her baby bump, to brush stray strands of hair from her sweaty forehead and trail his fingers down the side of her face and neck to rest them around her delicate throat, not applying any pressure. She reached up and wrapped her hands around his wrist and whimpered as she thrust her pelvis up to meet his as his pace quickened. 

 

Moans, sighs and the soft slapping of flesh on flesh filled the air as they ground against each other, the humidity around them rising rapidly as they made love. There was no excessive roughness, no frantic fucking. He was careful and calculated with each impossibly deep thrust, and soon her eyes rolled back and her jaw went slack, and he watched her reverently and with awe as he forced his own release down while he allowed her to reach hers first.

 

" _Fuck_ , baby," she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut as she began to flutter around him.

 

"I know," he breathed, blinking the sweat from his eyes. He leaned back and pushed into her one last, earth-shattering time, shoving her backward across the cushions as she moaned out her orgasm to the ceiling, her walls gripping him like a vice and milking his release from him. He growled as he continued to push against her until he was completely spent and collapsed back against the cushy couch arm behind him.

 

As they attempted to catch their breaths, they caught each other's gaze and, regarding their hilariously compromising position, laughed at their mutual indecency. He patted her thigh as he resituated himself, his silent invitation for her to lay her legs across his lap. 

 

"So, dessert?" He asked breathily as his broad chest continued to heave. Her brow furrowed as she gave him a quizzical look, which made him giggle endearingly at her confusion. "Mint chocolate chip in the freezer," he pointed toward the kitchen.

 

She beamed in response, glowing skin still flush from their previous activities. "You know me so well." She moved her legs so he could strut in all his naked glory to the kitchen to get them a bowl of ice cream to share. "So I was thinking," she called after him, running her hands over her swollen belly, "how about Ava?"

 

It took him a moment to return and he sat, handed her the bowl, and said with the widest grin Laryn had ever seen grace his beautiful face, "It's perfect."


End file.
